


Wake up, Princess

by ClosetLibra



Category: Digimon Adventure, Digimon Adventure Zero Two | Digimon Adventure 02, Digimon Adventure tri.
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-18
Updated: 2017-08-18
Packaged: 2018-12-16 18:23:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 23,637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11834433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClosetLibra/pseuds/ClosetLibra
Summary: Following their last digital adventure (TRI) everyone has moved on with their lives, but still remain close friends. Mimi is a confident young woman completing her last year at university. After getting her heart broken, she experiences a huge shock. Her memories gone, Mimi must figure out how her life has become such a complicated mess. Digimon Canon. Genre: Josei. Mimi focused.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon or any of its characters. I do not own Love Rerun. I own nothing.
> 
> Author's Note: Digimon TRI inspired me to get back into the fandom. This story is inspired by the manga Love Rerun by Amazawa Aki.
> 
> However, I'm only using the basic premise and the rest of the story will be very different, and based on Digimon canon (except for the epilogue). Multiple couples, but mostly focused on Mimi, Taichi and Yamato's changing dynamics. Side character couples too.
> 
> Mostly relationship focused and will build up to real romance slowly, as I am more interested in character development and realistic explanations of how the Digidestined got closer or drifted apart over time.
> 
>  
> 
> '…..' = thoughts
> 
> "..." = speech

[Imagine a 10 year old Mimi wearing her pink dress and playing with dolls in her childhood bedroom.]

'I close my eyes and wait for Prince Charming to appear and rescue me from this ordinary life.'

.

[12 years later]

.

"Tachikawa-san! Sorry, but there are still some errors in the group report. Can you edit the section on terminology and email the rest of us a copy when you're done?" A young man smiled apologetically, bowing his head slightly as he spoke.

The campus was bustling and it was a warm spring day in April, but the icy look that the brunette he addressed gave him sent a shiver down his spine as he shrunk into himself.

Eyeing the boy coldly with a mixed expression of wariness and irritation, Mimi ran a trained hand through her thick and glossy locks before answering in a clipped tone, "That's not even my section of the report. I'm really busy with my part-time job. I know it's senior year, but this isn't the time to slack off. This report is important for our grade." She sniffed at him disapprovingly and sighed in annoyance.

"I'm so sorry, Tachikawa-san, but you're the only one of us who is fluent in English. Sato-san tried her best, but the terminology section really needs more work. Can you please help us out? The nutrition books in English are so difficult to understand!" The student begged, clumsily pushing up his glasses at the bridge of his nose.

"I know you are super busy working, but none of us can get through the dense English text as quickly as you can. Please, please save us! We will all treat you after the presentation."

Mimi drew out another sigh, slowly closing her eyes and massaging her temples. She wished she was wearing one of her large floppy hats, because her exasperated expression was surely intimidating some of the underclassmen who were quickly shuffling past them.

"Fine," she ground out, turning around to end their conversation. "I'll try to get it done this weekend. You owe me some grilled meat afterward!"

"Thank you, Tachikawa-san!" her classmate exclaimed, watching her retreating form. A big smile plastered on his face, he continued, "We'll buy you all the meat you can eat! Thanks again!" Heading to his next class, the boy chuckled.

Even though Tachikawa acted tough and grumpy sometimes, he knew she would eventually agree. After all, the girl was known throughout campus not only for her beauty, but more importantly, her kindness and compassion for others. She was the school's madonna.

.

Mimi Tachikawa was a senior at Odaiba University. She had returned from America for high school and decided to stay in Japan for college, even though her parents had returned to New York for work.

As much as she had enjoyed her life in the U.S., she still considered Tokyo to be her one true home. It was the place where her closest friends lived and she chose her college after several of her friends had attended. To the surprise of everyone, Mimi decided to double major in communications and nutrition.

Looking at her, most people wouldn't assume she was made for island living. While technically still a part of Tokyo, Odaiba was much quieter and low key compared to the districts across the water. Her friends were overjoyed when she decided on Odaiba University rather than a far-away school in a more exciting location.

Mimi liked small town living; it was familiar and safe. Even if she seemed a bit too posh, with her pretty looks and stylish clothing, Mimi's outer appearance hid a pure and simple girl at heart.

'Maybe too pure,' she absently thought, turning away from her reflection on a storefront mirror as she walked down the street. Mimi was on her way to her part-time job, a cute half bakery, half cafe where she worked as a waitress. Her parents had agreed to pay for her school fees, but she was on her own when it came to rent and living expenses.

Although Japanese parents usually supported their kids financially until marriage, Mimi's parents had picked up some frustrating American customs while abroad and told their daughter to pay for her college lifestyle by experiencing the value of earning money.

Mimi was proud to be taking care of herself, but she was often annoyed when she saw how carefree some of her classmates were, not having to juggle work and school at the same time. 'So much for being a pampered Princess,' she thought sourly, walking into the cafe to start another long afternoon shift.

.

Waiting behind the counter, her bubbly friend Miyako Inoue perked up when she saw Mimi and gave a big smile. The purple-haired girl's family had bought the establishment while they were in high school, and she was one friend who really understood the burden of working for your bread and butter.

"Mimi-chan! I'm so glad you're here. I'm so bored!" Miyako complained, following Mimi into the backroom. While Mimi changed into her uniform, the younger girl secretly admired her friend's figure, somewhat envious due to her own lack of curves.

Of course, she was a pretty girl in her own right, but Mimi had always been someone who stood out both in looks and personality. Miyako still idolized her a little, although their relationship was much calmer now and she didn't gush as much as she did in junior high.

After Mimi was done changing, both girls returned to the front and chatted idly, waiting for a customer to come in. "So, what are you wearing to the Digidestined dinner? Tomorrow is finally the night you'll confess to Jyou-senpai, right? I'm so proud of you, Mimi-chan! Three years is too long for unrequited love."

Mimi smiled at Miyako's enthusiasm, but deep down she felt apprehensive and unsure of herself.

.

Five years ago, when Mimi was still a junior in high school, the group had their last digital adventure. It was a trip that none of them had expected, and it ended in heartbreak. As a last resort, the children had to bid farewell to their digimon, as the gateway between reality and the digital land had to be permanently shut for the safety of both worlds.

Their digimon partners had been chosen as the new guardians of the digital world and the children had to choose whether to stay or return to their homes. Full of sadness, all of them chose to return. Everyone had been crushed and drifted apart as a result.

The Digidestined had started a tradition three years ago of meeting on the first Friday of every month. Now that all of them were adults, and lived very separate lives, it was hard to stay as close as they once were.

It was Taichi's idea to organize a mandatory group dinner and everyone was silently grateful that he had been so insistent. It was easy to lose touch with old friends, but everyone still cared deeply for one another.

Although they had all moved on with their lives they were still connected by a shared past.

Mimi's crush on Jyou had started after the first Digidestined reunion. The older kids had all graduated from high school and started attending university. While Jyou went to a medical school in Tokyo proper, and Koushiro had decided to enroll in a technical college close by, the rest had chosen to attend Odaiba University.

It was through Sora's encouragement that Mimi had also decided to enroll in the school, although none of the old gang had hung out at first. It wasn't until Taichi brought them together again that the old friends started rebuilding bridges and began creating new happy memories as a team.

When Mimi had seen Jyou again, he looked like a stranger. The once lanky and awkward boy had grown into a handsome and confident young man with a shy smile. When they were children, Mimi had always seen the blue haired boy as an older brother-type who was too serious and paranoid for his own good.

Although she appreciated his care and protection, it could be stifling at times, and he had always treated her like she was helpless. As a result, she had never felt any butterflies when she interacted with him before, but time had changed all that. Jyou was becoming an amazing adult, and Mimi was captivated by this man who seemed to have his whole life figured out. She admired him.

Over the last three years, the crush had grown into what Mimi assumed was love, and she had been pining over the man for the last several months. Miyako was the only one who knew, but the younger girl constantly nagged at her to tell him.

After ignoring her friend for the past six months, Mimi finally collected enough courage to confess. However, she couldn't quell the uncomfortable feeling in her gut.

Everyone assumed that Mimi was an experienced woman. With her looks, attitude and upbringing most people thought that she had a long list of ex-boyfriends. After bringing Michael along to a few activities during junior high, even the Digidestined believed that she had dated while living in America.

None of it was true.

Maybe it was because she possessed the Crest of Purity, but Mimi had never even kissed a boy. She was saving her kisses and body for true love, and denied the advances of the numerous boys who chased after her. She was often surrounded by men and classmates would ask her out regularly, but she always turned them down.

Mimi believed in Prince Charming and soulmates.

It wasn't all because of her crest. Honestly, she had always fantasized about being a princess with a knight in shining armor to save her from the bad things in life. Mimi knew it was ridiculous to think this way, and she was a proud, independent woman, but her childhood dreams had left some lingering feelings.

Even her closest girlfriends had no idea that she was still a virgin who had never been kissed. Mimi wasn't necessarily ashamed, she believed in her values, but it wasn't something she shared either.

Having no experience confessing to a boy before, Mimi was a ball of nervous energy whenever she thought about telling Jyou her feelings. They had known each other for a long time. What if he just saw her as a friend, or worse, a little sister?

Mimi recognized how ironic it was for her to worry about such a thing. She had been the one to feel that way about him for the longest time, but the tables had turned. Now, she was the tense and awkward one, with no idea of how things would play out the following evening.

.

Shaking her head to dismiss the dark thoughts, Mimi turned to answer her curious friend. "I haven't decided on what to wear yet. But I'm definitely going to confess after the dinner. I can't wait anymore."

Miyako squealed in excitement and wanted to chat more about unrequited love, but several customers entered the cafe signaling the dinner rush. The rest of the shift was busy with taking and serving orders, eventually forgetting about the possibly life-changing event that was going to take place the next day.

.

.

.

"Hahaha! Daisuke-kun, I told you that was too hot!" Taichi laughed loudly, slapping the younger man on the back. The maroon-haired boy had bitten into a scorching piece of meat, spitting it out and onto the floor.

The whole Digidestined team was together, laughing and goofing off with each other, and sitting around two huge tables that had been pushed together for the large group.

The restaurant was a popular hang out for local college students and the owners were used to the rambunctious group of friends that were noisy, but good kids, with healthy appetites. They always bought a lot of drinks and food, so the middle-aged couple who owned the establishment welcomed them every month with big smiles and cold beer.

The tables were low to the ground, so everyone was sitting on the floor, chattering happily and updating one another about the previous month's happenings.

Uncharacteristically quiet, Mimi nibbled on a piece of dried seaweed, only sipping her drink occasionally, wanting to stay sober for her talk with Jyou. Normally, she loved to flit about the room and talk to everyone at least once during the night, even if it was only to check in on them.

There were a few that she didn't have as much to say to, like Iori Hida. He was the youngest in the group and often silent as he drank his barley tea and just nodded along as he listened to the older adult's conversations.

He was the complete opposite to extroverted fools like Taichi and Daisuke who would both drink copious amounts of beer and often got into playful fights or broke out into song in their drunken states.

Takeru, who had grown up to become a tall and charmingly handsome young man, usually sat beside Hikari and Ken. They would talk amicably amongst themselves, until Miyako or Daisuke would demand to be included in the conversation, as the others laughed at their antics.

Koushiro, who was always with some sort of electronic device, was showing Yamato a newly released high-tech mobile phone that his company had developed. The blonde listened carefully and nodded at his friend's words.

Mimi eyed the two boys curiously, their attention firmly on the small device on the table, ignoring the noisiness of the rest of the crowd.

Koushiro had grown a lot since their childhood years. He was much more open and made an effort to interact with people, even though electronics still distracted him quite a bit. Then there was Yamato.

Mimi pursed her lips thinking about him, taking a drink as she observed him from across the table. He was, without a doubt, devastatingly handsome. He had always been a cute, albeit moody, kid, but adulthood had chiseled his features into those of a man. His dark blue eyes were as haunting as ever, but time had also healed many of his wounds. He smiled with his eyes more often.

Yamato was another one of the Digidestined that she did not have much of a relationship with. They just didn't interact often, always distracted or more keen to talk to someone else. At one point, at the beginning of their first adventure, Mimi had thought that he might become special to her.

She liked how much he cared about Takeru and wanted him to look at her with the same protective gaze. Mimi had made an effort to stay near him, choosing to walk with him or stay in his group whenever they split up.

However, danger, fights, survival and their own personal baggage had led them on different paths to maturation. She needed to wake up from her princess syndrome and he needed to open up his heart.

Mimi had gotten over the fact that she wasn't the one to help him overcome his demons a long time ago. She then glanced at the one who had. Sora was happily talking to Jyou, her face bright and happy. Of course, Sora wasn't the only one who had helped Yamato find himself.

Taichi had played a big role, as well as Jyou and the rest of them to a lesser extent. But somehow Sora had been the one to get him to fall in love for the first time, which is something that none of the other Digidestined had expected.

Truth be told, Mimi still wasn't sure how she felt about it. She had always assumed that her close friend loved Taichi, but they never got together, even after Yamato and Sora broke up in senior year of high school.

Their last digital adventure and the loss of their digimons had been too much for the couple. Mimi wasn't privy to all of the details, but Takeru once mentioned that there had been some tension between the couple long before the trip back. But Sora and Yamato never talked about it, so nobody asked.

.

Mimi ran a tired hand through her silky hair, finishing her first glass of the night. It had been a long day at school, but she knew she had to wait for a chance to get Jyou alone before she could confess.

Hoping that the older boy would take a bathroom break or make a phone call soon, Mimi continued to watch her friends have fun, while her insides twisted and turned from her nervousness.

Suddenly, Mimi heard someone take a seat beside her and set a glass down. "Hey, Mi-chan! Why so gloomy? It's not like you." Taichi said, grinning at his friend.

Even though he acted like a jokester, Taichi was actually very observant and was always watching his friends. Mimi hadn't seemed like herself all night and he was concerned. Even though he was smiling, his eyes betrayed his worry and Mimi gave a small smile in return. She felt bad for making her anxiousness so obvious, and tried to lessen the boy's concern for her.

Although neither of them had ever addressed it, Mimi knew that Taichi had begun to like her romantically about a year ago.

She didn't know how or when, but one day things were just different between them. They had always been friendly with each other and Mimi was very sweet to Taichi, but she had also assumed his feelings for Sora would prevent him from ever falling for her. She never imagined he'd eventually get over the red head and develop a crush on her.

It had been a serious curve ball for their friendship since Mimi already liked Jyou. Glancing over at the blue-haired boy briefly, she turned to Taichi and replied, "Nothing much. I'm just tired from school and work. It's hard to do both, you know. You're lucky your parents still pay for all your living expenses!"

Placing a sympathetic hand on Mimi's shoulder, Taichi gave it a slight squeeze, unaware of her discomfort. "I know, Mi-chan. You've really matured since we were kids. Working so hard... I wish I could help you more."

His earnestness made Mimi's heart ache, because she thought Taichi was a great guy. If only she hadn't fallen in love with Jyou first, then maybe she could have returned his feelings, but right now they only made her feel apologetic and awkward around him. "Thanks, Tai-kun."

Noticing Jyou stand up and move toward the exit, Mimi quickly scrambled to her feet and excused herself. "Sorry, I need to make a phone call." Hurrying out to follow Jyou, she didn't notice a pair of blue and brown eyes simultaneously watch her leave.

'That was strange,' Yamato thought, blinking before returning his attention to Koushiro. 'The Princess sure seemed out of it tonight.'

Just like Taichi, Yamato had a habit of carefully observing all of his friends. Even the ones he didn't know very well, like Mimi. They didn't have much in common; at least that's what he had always assumed.

.

Outside the restaurant, a warm breeze ruffled Jyou's short hair as he smoked a cigarette. He knew it was bad for him, he was training to become a doctor after all, but he had picked up the habit due to stress and it was hard to quit.

Medical school was tough and the pressure he felt everyday drove him to sneak a smoke now and then. Today had been particularly taxing due to a difficult patient he had to deal with earlier in the day. He was doing his residency at a hospital in Tokyo and sometimes a smoke was what he needed to calm his anxious nature.

The evening was turning out to be a pleasant time though. He was happy to see his old friends and catch up on their lives.

He was also glad to spend more time with Sora. They had been keeping it a secret, but the two had officially gotten together about three months prior. Jyou had been helping Sora prepare for her social work exams.

After graduating, the red head had decided to prepare for the national exam to get certified. She wanted to become a social worker to help those in need. It was a difficult exam, so Jyou had offered to help. Over the course of a year, they had fallen for each other.

Jyou blew out a puff of smoke and looked up into the night sky. He wasn't really sure where their relationship was heading, but they enjoyed each other's company and wanted to be together. For him, that was enough. Jyou wasn't sure if he loved her yet, but Sora made him happy. 'I hope I can make her happy too,' he thought.

As he was about to put out his cigarette, he heard a soft gasp from behind. Mimi was gaping at him with an open mouth, pointing at the cigarette like it was a snake. "Y-You smoke? Since when?!" she demanded to know, glaring at the disgusting cancer stick with narrowed eyes. "Jyou-senpai, you're a doctor!"

"I'm still doing my residency, Mimi-chan." Jyou chuckled, dropping the bud and stepping on it. "I know you must be disappointed, but even I have my vices," he said, moving forward and patting her head affectionately. "What are you doing out here anyway? Feeling okay? Should I call you a taxi?"

Listening to his questions of concern, Mimi glanced down at the dead cigarette he had extinguished. How many things did she not know about him? Deciding that she could think about it later, Mimi cleared her dry throat with a cough.

Looking up, she smiled when she saw his concerned expression; his worry for her clearly written across his frowning face. 'What am I worried about? This is Jyou.'

Taking a deep breathe, Mimi took a step toward him and took one of the tall boy's hands in hers. Jyou was surprised and stumbled backward, a small blush on his pale face. Using his free hand to adjust his glasses, he tried to extract his hand from her grasp, but she would not let go.

He was utterly confused. "Mimi-chan is something wrong? Did someone say anything to you inside that I should know about?"

"Jyou-senpai," she started, hoping to confess before he could start another barrage of worried questions. Tilting her head upward, she looked him directly in his wide and startled eyes. "Senpai, I love you. Not as a friend, but as a man. I want us to be a couple."

Mimi admitted, cheeks flushed with emotion. She had done it. Closing her eyes, Mimi breathed in deeply, waiting for his positive response.

Except it didn't come. Instead of the kiss or sweeping admission of mutual love that she was expecting, all Mimi heard was Jyou's broken voice as he stuttered, "I-I'm s-sorry, Mimi-chan. I'm going out with someone. I'm serious about her. And..."

He pulled his hand away, taking a step back from Mimi as she stared at him with a shocked expression on her crumbling face. "I'm sorry. I see you as a little sister."

He then turned away from her and quickly went inside. Mimi stood rooted to the spot, tears streaming down her face as she used her balled up fists to hastily wipe her tears.

Taking out her mobile phone, she typed a quick message to Sora writing that she didn't feel well and was heading home. Devastated and feeling miserable, Mimi started walking with no destination in mind.

'This wasn't supposed to happen. He was supposed to say yes! I've been waiting for love my entire life. I can't believe I was rejected...'

.

.

.

'Man, I'm exhausted.' Yamato zipped up his leather jacket, walking briskly through the park. He had a good time with his friends, but couldn't wait to get home and into his warm bed. Things had gotten a bit weird at the end of the party.

Jyou and Mimi had left for awhile, but only one had returned. Sora told them all that Mimi had gone home, and Taichi started drinking way too much after that announcement. Jyou had looked ashen-faced and started downing drinks as well.

It wasn't like him to drink so much and Yamato could tell that even Sora had noticed the unusual behavior of their two closest friends. It was all very strange and he was eager for everything to go back to normal after a good nights sleep.

"That jerk! Who does he think he is? Reject me? Going out with someone? Since when?!"

Yamato halted in his tracks. That voice sounded unsettlingly familiar. But he didn't want to stop, so he was about to ignore the shouts and continue on his way when he heard, "Stupid, Jyou! Stupid! Stupid!"

The blonde groaned, rubbing a hand over his face. Of course he recognized that voice. It was none other than the pink princess that had left the reunion early and made the situation weird afterward.

Truly tired, but knowing that he couldn't leave the young woman alone in a dark park, while she was obviously making a racket while drunk, Yamato begrudgingly made his way toward the loud yelling.

Sitting on the kids swing set, her arm raised into the air while holding a can of beer, Mimi continued to shout, "I'm too good for you! To think that I was going to give you my virginity! You don't deserve it!"

As he got closer, Yamato shook his head, half embarrassed by what he was hearing and half exasperated by her drunken actions. Walking into her line of sight, he frowned when he noticed the six pack by her feet; all but the one in her hand were empty.

Lowering her arm and swiping the last can from her, he tried to pull Mimi to her unsteady feet. "Mimi-chan, you're drunk. You need to go home."

"Who—Yamato-kun?" she slurred, stumbling a bit as he pulled her up and onto her feet. Unable to keep herself standing, Mimi fell forward, draping her arms around the blonde's shoulders to stay upright. "What are you doing here? Did you know that Jyou-senpai is a jerk? Haha, he's a big, big jerk!"

Mimi giggled after the last word, her lips brushing against Yamato's ear. His skin burned from the touch and he jumped back, almost dropping the girl, but recovered fast enough to hold up her arms.

"What the hell are you doing? Why did you drink so much? This isn't like you." He said, glaring at the woman sternly. She was a mess and he had an inkling that it had to do with whatever made her leave the party early. "Did something happen with Jyou-senpai and you? Why are you calling him a jerk?"

At the sound of Jyou's name coming out of someone's mouth other than her own, Mimi raised her hands to her eyes as the tears began to fall again. Startling Yamato, she buried her face into his neck and sobbed. "W-What? Mimi-chan?"

Unsure of what to do, he awkwardly patted her on the back, wanting for nothing else but to be home and away from this mess of a situation. 'Damn it, why me?'

Mimi continued to cry for a few more minutes before she went quiet. Hoping that the waterworks were finally over, Yamato hesitantly said, "Mimi-chan?" He waited her to respond but got nothing.

Shifting backwards to push her off of him enough to get a look at her face, he saw that she had fallen asleep standing up. All of the crying, combined with booze, and being exhausted from a long day had knocked her out.

Yamato groaned again and felt like screaming. What the heck was going on with this night?!

.

.

.

"Wake up, Princess."

Mimi's head throbbed. "Ugh..." she muttered, hand automatically rising to clutch her aching head.

Her brain was fuzzy and she felt like she had just been hit by a truck. Trying to sit up, but failing miserably, she felt a strong pair of arms help her into a seated position. Massaging her temples a few moments before opening her eyes, Mimi felt her vision begin to clear. She was finally waking up.

Searching for the person who had helped her, Mimi realized that she was now alone. She looked around the room and noticed framed photos of her friends on the shelves. Her clothes were neatly hanging in the walk-in closet to her side and she smiled softly at all of her childhood stuffed animals decorating one of the chairs in the corner.

This was obviously her room, but not at the same time. For instance, she definitely didn't wear half of the dark colored clothes in the closet. She didn't read the psychology textbooks littering the desk across from her, and she certainly didn't own an electric guitar.

A minute later, she heard a familiar voice from the doorway of the room. Turning to look at the speaker, Mimi was surprised to find Yamato gazing at her with worried eyes, a glass of water in his hand. He took a step toward her, handing her the glass and said, "Drink all of it. You've been out for at least an hour. I was about to call Jyou-senpai to check up on you."

Mimi almost choked on the water. She didn't want to see Jyou right now. Definitely not. She was so embarrassed and didn't know how she would face him after he rejected her so explicitly.

"I don't need to see Jyou-senpai," Mimi murmured, not meeting the blonde's stare as she handed him back the glass.

Yamato arched an eyebrow, but didn't say anything else. Placing the glass on the ground, he raised a hand to Mimi's forehead to check her temperature. "W-What are you doing?" Mimi stuttered from the contact.

She wasn't used to Yamato being so concerned for her well-being and it was unnerving. Where was she anyway? This seemed like her room, but it was clearly not the room she had left that morning.

"Yamato-kun," Mimi started, taking another look around the familiar bedroom. "Where are we?"

Eyes widening, Yamato looked at her like she had grown a second head. "What do you mean, where are we?" he said, standing up to return the glass to the kitchen.

Heading toward the door, he turned to glance back at the brunette sitting on his bed. "This is our apartment," he answered before walking out.

Staring at his back, Mimi's hands curled the sheets in her fists, his words slowly registering in her cloudy mind. "Our apartment..." she repeated slowly, staring at the photos of Yamato and her next to the bed.

"WHAT?!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes:
> 
> April: The Japanese school year usually starts in April and ends in March of next year. The story begins around the last week of April, the beginning of Mimi's senior year of undergraduate school.
> 
> English text: Many Asian universities require students to read English textbooks for certain majors.
> 
> Mimi's major: In the Japanese version of the show Mimi grew up to be a TV host and nutritionist.
> 
> Meat: Grilled meat in Japan is really expensive, so students rarely get to eat such a treat.
> 
> Madonna: Is often used to describe a really popular and beautiful woman/idol on campus.
> 
> 5 years ago: The reference of their last adventure was to acknowledge TRI's time frame. This story is canon up until parts of TRI but will disregard the TV epilogue. The epilogue was shit, anyway.
> 
> Crest of Purity: It was purity in the Japanese version, not sincerity. By purity, I think they meant innocence.
> 
> Drinks: The drinking age in Japan is 20 years old. In this story, all of the Digidestined can legally drink in Japan except for Iori who just drinks tea/water.


	2. Chapter One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> '…..' = thoughts
> 
> "..." = speech

In a state of shock, Mimi remained seated on the bed, her face as pale as a ghost. Her hands had balled up the sheets so tightly that the blanket had risen to her knees. She began to shake her head furiously in disbelief.

This had to be some sort of over-the-top joke brainstormed by Taichi and the others. There was no way that Mimi Tachikawa had willingly moved in with Yamato Ishida.

No way!

Deciding to call out the bluff and chastise her friends who were obviously waiting out in the living room to tease her, Mimi scrambled out of bed to confront them. She realized that she was still fully dressed in outdoor clothing, although it wasn't what she had worn to the party.

The mirror across the room reflected a pair of distressed jean shorts and a light pink long-sleeved shirt, but what surprised her the most was that she was not wearing a bra. 'I really hope Sora or Miyako was the one who changed me, or I'm really going to kill someone!'

Heading out of the bedroom, Mimi saw Yamato bustling around in the kitchen, but couldn't spot any of her friends in the living room. She looked around and noted that the room was tastefully arranged, with neutral earth tones and sleek modern furniture.

It was simple, yet aesthetically pleasing, with small hints of Mimi's own indulgences accenting the area.

For example, a small crystal vase of lovely white lilies decorated the oak coffee table and there were lively green plants displayed throughout the apartment, bringing life and an air of freshness to the place.

'Wait a minute...' Mimi thought, further inspecting some of the plants. "These are my plants! How did you get them across town? What are they doing here?"

.

Although Yamato had been observing her from the corner of his eye ever since she had exited the bedroom, he hadn't said anything until her confused outburst.

He was getting more and more concerned about her erratic and strange behavior and was tempted to call Jyou, even though Mimi had vehemently refused to see their friend just a little while ago.

'Maybe I should take her to a hospital,' he thought, wiping his hands on a clean towel as he finished up in the kitchen. "Mimi," he started, slowly walking toward the agitated brunette, raising his hands like he was approaching a wild and skittish animal.

"Those were brought over two days ago, remember? The moving company delivered all of your stuff here on Friday and we've been organizing all weekend. Are you sure you're okay? Maybe we should call Jyou-senpai, after all" he suggested, frowning at her flinch when he mentioned the other man's name.

"W-What do you mean I brought these here? How is that possible? What kind of joke is this, Yamato-kun?" Mimi said, grabbing her head in frustration.

She really couldn't understand what on earth was going on. Where were their other friends? Wasn't this all just a big joke? Why did Yamato look so concerned?

"This prank has gone too far!" Mimi wailed, sliding onto the hardwood floor and clearly distressed. "Why would I bring my plants and clothes and stuffed animals here? How did you photoshop all of those pictures over night? Why do you keep looking at me like I'm crazy? Most importantly, where is my bra?!"

Her nostrils flaring, she jumped back up to her feet, pointing an accusatory finger at Yamato. "Don't tell me you were the one behind all of this! Who changed my clothes? How dare you-"

Yamato held her wrist, stopping her from continually jabbing him in the chest. It was starting to hurt. "Mimi," he said, pulling her into a loose hug. He placed his chin on top of her head as he felt the woman stiffen in his arms, her body going completely rigid.

"I really think we should to go to the hospital. You've been acting weird since you woke up. That box must have hit your head harder than I thought. We need to have you checked out."

'Box?' she thought, withdrawing from his arms and placing at least three feet of space between them. "What box? What happened to me? Why do I feel like I'm missing something?"

Looking at Yamato suspiciously, she ran a nervous hand through her tangled chestnut hair. "Tell me everything from the beginning..."

Confused and incredibly worried about her head injury, Yamato sighed and took a seat on the brown leather couch. He could hear their dinner bubbling over in the kitchen, but knew that Mimi wouldn't let him go without an explanation.

"Earlier today, while we were unpacking the last of your things, you tried to store a big box of photo albums on top of a shelf, but it was too heavy and it hit your head. When I found you in the second room, you were on the floor unconscious. I was going to take you to the emergency ward, but you grabbed onto my pant leg and kept muttering in your sleep. I thought you may just need some rest, so I put you in bed until you woke up about an hour ago. I was really worried, Mimi. Don't scare me like that."

He gazed at her with such a caring expression that Mimi's breath hitched in her throat. 'He's never looked at me like that before,' she thought, replaying the story that he had just told her. 'I hit my head... That doesn't explain why I'm here.'

Venturing to take a seat next to Yamato on the couch, she made sure to keep a distance between them before asking, "But why is all my stuff here? What did you mean by our apartment?"

The blonde's eyes widened, his desire to get her medically evaluated even stronger. 'Is her memory problem that bad? She can't even remember that she moved in a couple of days ago?'

Reaching out to her, but stopping when he noticed her body withdraw from him, Yamato frowned and explained, "We decided to move in together after your lease ended last month. My roommate moved out a week ago and you said you wanted to move in with me because your landlord was increasing your rent. Your part-time job doesn't pay enough to stay at your old studio, so you invited yourself to live here and I didn't fight it... Too much."

He stood to go check on the food and continued, "Plus it makes sense. We hardly got to see each other with our busy school schedules, so when you kept pushing to move in together I eventually caved. Like I always do..."

He muttered the last part quietly to himself while re-tying his apron.

.

Mimi stared vacantly after him, her mind reeling from the tall tale. What the hell was he talking about? She didn't remember any of that!

The last thing she recalled was being rejected by Jyou and getting drunk in a park. When had Yamato come into the picture? And why would she ever insist on moving in with him of all people?

Yes, he was one of her few friends that didn't live with his family, and if what he told her was true, and her landlord had upped the cost of rent, then she definitely would need to find a new home.

But Yamato? It just sounded all too unlikely to be real. How on earth could they co-habitat?! They hardly spoke to one another, let alone hung out on a regular basis. Out of all of their friends, he was one of the least likely that she would willingly choose to see every single day.

'This is crazy!'

Replaying his words over and over again, Mimi finally concluded that it must be at least somewhat true. There was no way that he moved all of her belongings to his apartment within a day and he seemed sincere when he checked on her; not his usual nonchalant self.

'How much did I forget?' she wondered, looking to where Yamato had gone.

He was busy setting the dining room table and she could smell curry in the kitchen. Her stomach growled. At least he was being polite and could cook. And he had mentioned a second room.

Obviously, they were just roommates, cohabiting due to mutual financial restraints. That made more sense to her, as she moved to check the other room.

Mimi assumed the second bedroom was hers, since she had gotten knocked out while putting things away and her stuff was probably still in his room because they hadn't finished clearing up the other one.

That didn't explain the pictures of the two good-looking friends together, photos she didn't remember ever taking with Yamato, or why she felt comfortable enough around the man to go bra-less (though it was her own home), but Mimi pushed the doubts to the back of her mind.

'One revelation at a time, Tachikawa...'

She opened the door to the smaller bedroom and flipped on the light. She saw the box that had hit her on the head, still on the floor, staring at her defiantly. Mimi walked over and kicked it with her slippered foot, scowling at the offending object.

'Because of you, I just had the shock of my life!' she thought angrily, checking out the rest of the room.

It didn't really seem like a bedroom. For one thing, her bed was missing. Also, the walls were aligned with several bookcases full of psychology and some of her communications and nutrition books.

Mimi wandered over to a desk that had several textbooks open and scattered across it. She read one chapter title: 'Parent's influence on a child's future relationships.'

.

Yamato was in graduate school studying psychology to become a family counselor. Everyone assumed that he would pursue music or the arts, but his band had disbanded after high school.

When asked about it, the blonde always said that music had been a therapeutic distraction, and fully threw himself into his studies at Odaiba University. Although they were on the same campus, his department was not near hers, so Mimi rarely saw him at school, usually just in passing at the student dining hall.

She still couldn't believe they had become close enough friends to actually choose to move in with one another. 'I better get my memories back quick, otherwise this is going to get really awkward.'

Giving the room one final once over, Mimi realized that it was more of a study than a bedroom. She guessed that they hadn't decided where to put her things yet.

Leaving the room to find Yamato ladling the curry onto plates in the kitchen, she leaned her forearms on the counter and asked, "Hey, Yamato-kun. When are we going to clear up that office space so I can set up my bedroom? Where should I sleep tonight? Do you have a futon or something that I can use until I get another bed? Mine didn't arrive for some reason."

Yamato dropped the ladle into the pot, his expression grim as he turned around to look at her. Mimi had a cute, but uncertain smile on her face. It was clear that she had gotten over the initial shock of not remembering where she was, but the blue-eyed man feared that she had forgotten much more than he initially assumed.

"Mimi," he began, taking off his apron and moving over to where she stood, dread filling his entire being. "How much do you remember, exactly? Do you recall anything past deciding to move in together? Can you remember that last six months? What happened after I found you in the park?"

Startled by the intensity of his blue eyes, Mimi paused, unsure of how to respond. Yamato looked so serious and it unsettled her. Taking in his fraught expression, she felt like her whole world was about to change.

"All I remember is getting drunk in a park after...after a very unpleasant incident" she admitted in a hesitant voice, twirling a strand of hair with her fingers.

It was a bad habit that she exhibited whenever she was worried or scared and was putting on a brave front. Yamato recognized the action and reached over to take her hands in his. Mimi jumped slightly and wanted to pull out of his grasp immediately, but the look on his face prevented her from breathing, let alone move away from his intense gaze.

"Mimi, it's been six months since then. We've been dating for the last five of them. We're not roommates, we're a couple. We share a bedroom. Going out and moving in together, it was all your idea."

The nonrecognition of the truth in her eyes made Yamato's heart wrench as he went on, "I know about your confession to Jyou-senpai. That's how this all started. Mimi..."

He had a difficult time getting the last part out, fearing that it would cement her memory loss in stone. "Do you really not remember us?"

"I..." was all Mimi could get out, her mind completely blank. She couldn't remember. But the distressed expression on Yamato's face wasn't lying, that much she acknowledged.

All of this was too much for Mimi to handle. It was too preposterous and all she wanted to do was to go find Jyou.

Unable to speak or even look at him, Mimi broke eye contact with Yamato and rushed past him. She grabbed a jacket that was hanging on a coat rack near the door and luckily her shoes had already been unpacked.

Throwing on the jacket and grabbing a pair of flats, Mimi ran out of the apartment in her bare feet, the door slamming shut behind her.

.

Rooted to the spot, Yamato watched her leave with his hands clenched. A thin trail of blood drizzled through his fingers, his nails digging hard into his palm.

A few moments later, once the sound of Mimi's hasty footsteps no longer echoed from the hallway, the blonde went back to the kitchen and washed his wound in the sink.

He then walked over to the coffee table and picked up his mobile phone. Grimacing at the collection of lilies on the table, he recalled how happy his girlfriend had been placing them there just a few hours earlier.

Scrolling through his contacts, he stopped at a familiar name and dialed. He already knew where Mimi had gone.

"Hi Sora, it's me. Yeah. I wanted to let you know that Mimi is heading your way. She'll be looking for Jyou-senpai. She...can't remember me. I don't know what to do..." he trailed, raising a hand to cover his face.

"I'm pretty sure she's lost a big chunk of her memories. The last six months...mean nothing to her."

.

.

.

Mimi was in the elevator, her heart pounding in her chest like it was running a race. She had ran toward the stairway entrance with the expectation of taking them, until she saw that they were located on the 15th floor and reconsidered.

Exiting at the underground level, she looked around the compound, hoping to spot her scooter.

If Yamato and Mimi were really living together, then her precious 'Pink Cruiser' would be in the garage. She quickly spotted it and headed over. But as soon as she strode up to the vehicle, Mimi realized that she didn't have her keys, phone or wallet.

She silently cursed under her breath, using expletives that her friends would be shocked that she knew.

Sighing, she pulled the jacket she was wearing closer around her body. She realized that it was a brown leather jacket, probably Yamato's, since it was much too large for her slender frame.

For a split second, Mimi considered ripping off the jacket and throwing it onto the ground, but refrained since she wasn't wearing a bra.

'Damn...' she thought, zipping the coat up to her neck and stuffing her hands into the pockets. She felt something in one of them and pulled out a short chain full of jangling keys. She knew they weren't hers, but Mimi wasn't exactly in her right mind and frantically wanted to get away from the building, and more importantly, the somber blonde upstairs.

Guessing that one of the keys was for a vehicle, she tried to open the doors of all the cars parked in the garage.

Unfortunately, none of them fit and Mimi felt like screaming her lungs out in the empty space until she noticed there was one last vehicle left. A sleek black motorcycle sat at the very edge of the lot, parked in a corner.

'Of course, that's what Yamato would drive,' Mimi thought dryly, rolling her eyes at the unsurprising discovery.

Making her way over to the intimidating machine, she hesitated before getting on. Lucky for her, the apartment garage was fairly secure, so the blue eyed owner had felt it safe enough to leave his helmet hanging off one of the handles.

'These are like bigger scooters, right? It can't be that different.' Mimi reassured herself, slipping the dark forest green helmet over her head and securing the chin strap.

It was a full-bodied helmet, so the frame covered her entire face and head. Mimi felt claustrophobic, preferring her partial-cover helmet and goggles. This one felt heavy and smelled like...Yamato.

She winced, taking in the scent of sandalwood and spearmint. 'It must be a mix of his cologne and flavored gum,' Mimi mused, snapping out of it abruptly when she realized that she didn't totally hate the combination. 'Ugh, what am I thinking about? I need to talk to Jyou before my head explodes.'

Sticking the key into the ignition, she heard the machine rev up and Mimi could feel her entire body begin to shiver from the adrenaline. Struggling to steer the motorcycle due to its heavy bulk, she considered going back up to the apartment to get her things, when she accidentally charged forward and onto the street.

Swallowing hard, with sweat starting to bead on her forehead, Mimi looked up and down the street she was on.

Thankfully, it wasn't busy, otherwise she might have just gotten into an accident. Tentatively moving the vehicle toward the main road, she summed up all of her courage.

'It's not that bad now that I'm on the street. Just think of it as your scooter, Mimi' she silently encouraged herself and finally started her journey across the water to Jyou's studio in Tokyo.

.

.

.

Fifty-five minutes later, mostly because Mimi had to stop twice to calm her nerves, she made it to Jyou's place. Parking on the street, she held Yamato's helmet under her arm and walked into the building.

The studio was located in a type of medical student dormitory, designed to house those completing their residencies at nearby hospitals and clinics. Unmarried doctors like Jyou usually lived in studios, while families were given larger apartments.

Mimi remembered visiting a few times when the older man had helped her with particularly difficult nutrition exams.

Pushing the lift button for the 12th floor, Mimi's mind wandered and she wondered why she had even come. Regardless of the mess she found herself in with Yamato, the blue haired senpai had rejected her.

Even if it was already six months ago, it felt like just yesterday for her. Mimi didn't know what to say, but when something life changing happened she always told Jyou.

And now, here she was, riding in an elevator to confront the man who had broken her heart (she still hadn't recovered) and what was she going to say to him?

'I'm still mad at you, but I need your help? I'm living with a person that I hardly know even after 12 years of friendship? I'm still in love with you, Jyou-senpai?'

All of these thoughts muddled Mimi's head and she felt like Alice in 'Through the Looking Glass' by Lewis Carroll.

A few minutes later, she knocked on room 12A and braced herself for impact. When she heard the door being unlocked, Mimi's heart began to race again, her hands clenching and unclenching as she opened her mouth to greet the person on the other side.

Expecting to confront a bespectacled Jyou, she was taken aback to find Sora smiling expectantly at her. "Hello, Mimi-chan. It's good to see you. Come in and I'll make some tea."

"S-Sora?" Mimi sputtered, a look of surprise spreading across her face. "What are you doing here? Where's Jyou-senpai?" She peered over her friend's shoulder and into the room, but couldn't spot the tall doctor anywhere.

The smile never leaving her lips, Sora opened the door wider and ushered the young woman inside. "He's still at the hospital. His shift isn't over for another hour. As for why I'm here... Let me explain from the beginning."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes: Next chapter will be the big explanation, according to Sora, at least. Expect more baffled Mimi and a visit from Jyou (and possibly Taichi). The first few chapters are mostly explanatory, setting the scene for the story to come. Mimi is just as confused as the readers.
> 
> Some of you may think that Mimi should've freaked out more about waking up at Yamato's, but remember, they have been friends for a very long time. It's not like he's a stranger.
> 
> Even though the situation is hard to believe, she does trust him and knows that he wouldn't intentionally harm her.
> 
> The friendship between the Digidestined is strong enough that they all protect and deeply care for one another.
> 
> .
> 
> Housing: Students and young adults usually live at home or sometimes in dorms/studios. It's rare that a student or unmarried young adult can live in an apartment on their own, so those that do often have roommates (or are wealthy).
> 
> Curry: Yamato was making curry on the TV show. Writers often assume he's a good cook as a result, but I haven't decided if I will keep him as an all-around cook or just someone with a specialty dish.
> 
> Scooter/Motorcycle: A lot of stories have the Digidestined driving cars (even in high school), but this is very unrealistic for Japanese teens and young adults. Cars are generally expensive and even older adults often choose public transportation over owning a vehicle. It's more common for young people to own bicycles or scooters, sometimes motorcycles (if they're trying to compensate for something and/or think they're a badass).
> 
> Garage: Larger and nicer apartment buildings in East Asia usually have a parking garage underground for tenants. They can even have multiple layers, with hundreds of parking spots.


	3. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> '…..' = thoughts
> 
> "..." = speech

Stepping into the small studio, Mimi placed Yamato's motorcycle helmet on the entryway table, but kept his leather jacket on for modesty's sake. The red head glided over to the basic kitchenette in the room, heating up the kettle to make tea. Following after her awkwardly, the younger woman watched the other prepare some light snacks.

Admiring her friend's toned and lightly muscled figure, and the simple navy pencil skirt and yellow turtleneck Sora was wearing, Mimi felt increasingly out of place in her distressed jean shorts and oversized jacket. Never one to leave the house looking anything but her best, it felt strange to be the one in the room who was poorly dressed for the occasion. For Mimi, it was absolutely unheard of.

"We don't have your favorite peppermint tea, but will green or barley be okay?" Sora asked kindly, holding up two different types of tea bags.

Taking the green tea, Mimi slowly opened the package and dipped the dry leaves into the teacup that was set in front of her. "Thanks, Sora-chan."

Both women spent the next few minutes silently sipping their drinks, Sora with her eyes closed, and Mimi taking in every detail of the studio's interior. The walls were a boring beige color, and there was very little in the room other than a bed, desk, small couch, bookshelf and two small tables, in addition to the bathroom and kitchenette.

It was a typical Japanese studio, with everything Jyou needed to get by and conveniently close to the hospital where he worked. He had lived in the same room for three years, but it was small and impractical for a woman with a lot of stuff; about ½ the size of Mimi's home.

'Old home...' she thought resentfully, accidentally taking too large of a gulp and burning her tongue on the hot tea. Grimacing, as she placed the cup down, Mimi anxiously played with the hem of her shorts, wondering what to say to her friend.

Sora, on her part, waited patiently for the brunette to begin speaking, taking her time with the beverage. When she was done, the older woman thought it might make Mimi more comfortable to sit. "Let's head to the love seat and get comfortable. It's going to be awhile before Jyou comes home."

.

Sitting down, Mimi noted that Sora had addressed their senpai without any honorific at the end of his name. That bothered her in the very deepest part of her heart. It meant that the two had grown past politeness, and felt comfortable and close enough with one another to only use their first names.

It meant something special in their culture, and Mimi could not comprehend why the red head seemed so at ease addressing their friend in such an intimate manner.

"Sora-chan," Mimi started, her hand slightly shaking as she ran it through her tangled chestnut hair. Managing a nervous smile she continued, "When did you start calling Jyou-senpai...Jyou? I mean... Isn't that a bit too close for just friends?"

Hoping with all her might that it meant nothing, and the nagging voice at the back of her mind was wrong, Mimi jumped when she felt Sora's firm hands take a hold of her own. "Wha-?"

"Mimi-chan, I heard about your memory loss from Yamato-kun. He's worried about you. Have you really forgotten everything?" Sora asked, her sad brown eyes expressing her concern.

"We definitely need to get you checked out at the hospital. Losing six months of your memories? Forgetting your boyfriend and living situation? This is all very serious, Mimi-chan. Yamato-kun and I agree-"

She was cut off by a quick shake of Mimi's head, her voice adamant as she replied "Sora-chan, thanks for worrying about me. But I'm fine. Now, tell me what is going on between you and Jyou-senpai? Why are you even here at his place without him? I really want to see him. He can help me..." she trailed, frustrated at her own lack of understanding.

Mimi was still heartbroken, but she needed to see Jyou.

Sora gazed at the other woman dolefully, her heart going out to both Yamato and Mimi. They had all been so happy, but a stupid box had ruined six months worth of events and good memories.

The Mimi sitting in front of her now did not remember a boyfriend and was currently in love with a blue haired doctor.

Realizing that it may be best for her to explain everything, so Yamato wouldn't have to go through the pain later, Sora squeezed her friend's hands gently, offering Mimi a small, yet caring smile.

"Oh, Mimi-chan. Jyou-senpai will be back soon. While we're waiting, let me tell you what's changed over the last six months." Hoping that the information would jolt Mimi's memories, the red head began telling the story of what happened after Yamato had found Mimi in the park and taken her safely home.

Although she still wanted to speak with Jyou first, Mimi felt a little better when she heard the usual honorific at the end of his name and settled into the couch to listen. Maybe Sora could rationalize how she had entered the twilight zone and ended up dating an aloof man that had never seemed very interested in her before.

'Yamato-kun said that I initiated our dating and moving in together... I just can't believe it!'

Her smile widening when she noticed Mimi calm down, Sora explained "That night after the party, Yamato-kun found you in the park and took you home after you passed out. He still lived with his old roommate and ex-bandmate Takashi-kun back then, so he put you in his bed and crashed on the couch. According to him, when you woke up the next afternoon all you kept talking about was finding a new and better Prince Charming. After that incident you started taking food to Yamato-kun's department and would wait for him after class to hang out. I think it confused him at first, but he never turned you away, so you two ended up spending a lot of time together. It surprised all of us how well you two got along, and how quickly you really grew attached to him, Mimi-chan."

Telling her everything she knew, but understanding that there were some details that an ex-girlfriend just wasn't privy to, Sora hoped her explanation would help Mimi fill in the blanks.

"About a month later, the two of you announced that you were dating during the Digidestined dinner. It floored all of us, but we were happy for the both of you. A couple of weeks after that, Jyou and I told everyone that we were...we were also dating."

Finishing her sentence, Sora instantly felt apologetic as the brunette quickly withdrew her hands and wrapped them around herself in a defensive pose.

.

Using the large jacket as a safety blanket, Mimi tightened her crossed arms over its rough leathery shell. Feeling cold and utterly despondent, she let Sora's words sink in, her heart clenching in discomfort.

Not only was Mimi missing her memories, but she had also lost the one she loved. For who? For Yamato? They weren't even close! Why had she given up on Jyou to pursue the surly blonde instead? And immediately after her rejected confession?

It made little sense to her, and Mimi refused to accept any of it.

"So, I chased after Yamato-kun and that's how we became...a couple." Mimi mumbled, twirling a strand of hair and staring at her freshly painted lavender toenails.

Even if it seemed impossible, she knew that Sora and Yamato wouldn't conspire against her about something so important.

Not wanting to accept the truth until she spoke with Jyou, she anxiously looked for a clock to check the time. "I-Is Jyou-senpai coming home soon? I really need to speak with him about...everything."

Placing a sympathetic hand on her shoulder, Sora nodded and checked the time on her mobile phone. The clock flashed 7:52PM.

"Yeah, Jyou-senpai should be here in a few minutes. I'll leave you two alone to talk. Don't worry, Mimi-chan. We'll help you get your memories back."

Getting up to tidy the kitchen before Jyou arrived, Sora soon noticed the door being unlocked and walked toward the sound.

When she heard the door being opened, Mimi's breath caught in her throat. There was Jyou, looking cutely disheveled and exhausted.

His eyes automatically went to Sora and he smiled tiredly, giving his girlfriend a quick peck on the lips. On her part, the red head gently pushed away from him and motioned toward their guest on the couch.

Pushing up his glasses with his knuckles, the tall man studied his childhood friend. After everything that happened, she was still like a little sister to him and he cared about her a great deal.

Taking in her anxious form, Jyou changed his expression to one of joy as he placed his bag down and strode over to the couch. "Mimi-chan! Good to see you. It's been what...almost a month? How are you?"

Even though he acted normal, Mimi noticed the small tick at the corner of his right eye. He knew about her memory loss. Of course, Yamato or Sora had probably called and informed him while he was at work.

Embarrassed and feeling more than a bit foolish for rushing to someone who had rejected her, Mimi anxiously played with her hair and greeted "Jyou-senpai, I-I'm not so good. I'm so confused..." Her voice trailed and large tears began to gather, catching on her long lashes.

Deciding it was her cue to go, Sora quietly slipped out of the room. She wasn't thrilled to leave her boyfriend alone with a woman who was in love with him, but she trusted both Jyou and Mimi.

Her friend needed a strong shoulder to cry on and Jyou had always been her protective older brother. Sora reluctantly accepted it and had made peace with their close friendship a long time ago.

After all, she was still close friends with Taichi and Yamato. 'I hope you can help her, Jyou.' Sora thought sadly and hailed a cab outside.

.

The tall doctor was crouched in front of Mimi, handing her several tissues in an attempt to abate her tears. She took them gratefully and wiped her cheeks, ashamed of herself for crying in front of him.

'I bet Sora doesn't act like a child,' she thought bitterly, wishing she could stop the emotional outburst.

But the tears wouldn't stop and Mimi continued to silently sob into the cluster of tissues. 'I...I thought seeing Jyou would make be feel better, but now I can't stop thinking about his rejection. It was a mistake to come here,' she lamented, hair obscuring her face as she began to curl into herself.

Mimi brought her knees up to her chin in a defensive pose and turned away from the man.

Out of his element, Jyou felt old memories of feeling useless bubble under the surface of his mind. Wanting to comfort the girl, but not knowing how or what was appropriate, he helplessly watched her sob into her hands.

Petting her hair in what he hoped was a comforting manner, Jyou wished for the hundredth time that Sora hadn't left them. He was bad at this. It was why he had such a hard time dealing with certain patients, especially when telling them bad news. His heart ached horribly every time he witnessed someone die.

Jyou sometimes doubted his decision to become a physician.

Unexpectedly, he heard a loud knock at his door. Giving Mimi's head one last pat, he stood up and wondered if Sora had left something behind and returned.

However, Jyou was surprised to find Yamato standing pensively behind the door, his expression solemn and with his hands shoved into his jean pockets.

Stealing a glance at the crying girl inside, the blonde's face darkened. Striding straight past Jyou without a word, Yamato made his way to Mimi and wrapped his arms around her slender frame.

"Shhh...I came for you."

Mimi felt him as soon as the door had opened and her sobs slowly began to diminish as her body automatically reacted to Yamato's presence in the room. Her mind told her to push him away and reject him, but her body wouldn't move.

Instead, Mimi felt her heart thump loudly in her chest. 'Why do I feel calmer? Is it because of Yamato? How can him just being here make me feel better?'

Letting her lean on him for support, Yamato turned to Jyou and nodded briskly before saying, "Thanks, for watching Mimi until I could get here. I'm going to take her home now."

With that, the blonde quickly led the weeping woman toward the exit. Mimi followed without a word, her mind and emotions too overwhelmed to react.

She desperately wanted to crawl into her warm bed and wake up to find that everything had been a crazy dream. Jyou wasn't dating Sora. She wasn't living with Yamato. She hadn't forgotten a precious six months of her life.

But the very real sensation of her cheek pressed against her boyfriend's chest forced Mimi to acknowledge that the situation was not going to get any less complicated in the future.

He didn't know why, but watching Yamato escort Mimi away left an acrid taste in his mouth. Jyou had been surprised when the two announced their relationship, but also somewhat relieved since he had hoped it meant that the brunette had gotten over her crush on him.

Yet, it was glaringly clear that he was no longer the one that Mimi depended on the most and watching someone else take his place in her heart didn't sit very well with him either.

Jyou felt an unfamiliar bubbling of hostility toward his long-time male friend, and that unnerved the young doctor because he didn't know where it was coming from.

'What the heck is wrong with me? I should be glad Yamato is here to soothe Mimi. After all, I was doing a lousy job at it...' The thought made Jyou scowl, his own inability to comfort others weighing heavily on him.

He was a doctor, had a supportive girlfriend, and wonderful friends and family. But his childhood insecurities would sneak up on him at times of failure and he could feel them begin to creep back into his heart as he watched the door close behind two of his closest friends.

'I'm such a screw up.'

.

Yamato said nothing as he placed his motorcycle helmet on Mimi's head and motioned for her to get on behind him. He wrapped her arms around his waist and once he thought she was secured, he started up the engine and headed back to Odaiba.

Technically, it was illegal to drive without wearing a helmet, but he had ridden the bus to Tokyo and didn't have any extra gear with him. He'd much rather have his girlfriend protected than himself, so he hoped it was late and dark enough that the police wouldn't notice him.

Yamato was more concerned with getting Mimi home and in a improved emotional state.

Throughout the ride back, Mimi desperately clung to Yamato, pressing her helmet covered face against his back. It probably hurt, but he didn't resist, so she continued to weep softly, her small hands fisting the material around his waist.

It was a chilly night and her legs were bare, but she felt little of the cold.

[Flashback]

The wind whipped the loose strands of her hair that had escaped her pink scooter helmet. She clung tightly to the warm body sitting in front of her and rubbed her exposed cheek against his broad back.

The sunlight shined above them in the cloudless sky and Mimi felt content as they drove by the ocean.

[Present]

Parking in his usual spot, Yamato slowly got off the vehicle and held out his hand for Mimi. Gazing at him through the helmet glass, she hesitantly took his hand and gripped it tightly as if he was her life-line.

The flashback she had during the ride had left her feeling even more confused. 'That was definitely a memory from the last six months...'

Without unlinking his right hand from hers, he used his free one to remove the helmet and place it on the motorcycle's handlebar. Walking toward the elevators, he felt Mimi squeeze his hand, her body instinctively leaning against his shoulder.

After her previous unstable behavior, it made Yamato smile to see that she was starting to warm up to him. 'If only we could go back to the way we were...'

Once they were in their apartment, Yamato sensed Mimi distance herself from him again and he felt bereft by the loss of her touch. He watched her stare at the interior of their home and saw her eyes scan the living room. Her face expressed both disbelief and resignation.

Moving over to the lilies on the coffee table, she plucked one out of the vase and held it up to her nose. Inhaling deeply, she sat down on the couch and put the flower back. Yamato didn't know what to do and watched her from the doorway.

Even though her heart was still in turmoil, the long and cold ride back to Odaiba had helped Mimi come to a decision. The situation still felt unbelievable and she hadn't really accepted her relationship with Yamato, but the reality was that he was her boyfriend, whether she could readily remember him or not.

But it was impossible to go back to the way things were and she knew that he was also probably aware.

Running her hands through her hair a few times, her face showed her fatigue and confusion. It had been a long and revealing day and Mimi wasn't really sure what the future held for her anymore.

"Yamato-kun," she started, finally turning to look at the man who had been silently staring at her the whole time.

"I...I don't even know where to start. I really can't remember, but I believe you when you say we were together." She motioned him forward, so he cautiously walked over and took a seat next to her.

"Mimi, I..." Yamato found himself at a loss of words as well, wanting to comfort her and tell her everything would be okay, but also fearful and worried that this was the end for them as a couple.

"Mimi, I care about you. I know you can't remember us, but your memory loss could be temporary. Even though you're confused right now... Let me help you get through this. I'm here for you 100%."

She could feel the sincerity in his words, but Mimi didn't immediately respond. In all honestly, even though Yamato was looking at her with affection and concern, she didn't feel any of the emotions back.

How could she?

The blonde she remembered had never been overly fond of her and they hardly ever spoke to one another without being in a group. The fact that they were friends since childhood, yet barely knew each other was something that had bothered her for a long time, even before they dated.

"I'm still in love with Jyou-senpai," she blurted out, instantly regretting it when she saw Yamato's crestfallen and pained expression.

Mimi didn't know why she said that and felt like smashing her face into a pillow and screaming. She hadn't meant to hurt Yamato. He was still her dear friend and it broke her heart to see him so torn up over the situation.

But could she blame him? If the circumstances were reversed, she would probably feel terrible too. Unsure of what to say next, she bit her lower lip and sighed.

Studying the frowning man in front of her, Mimi knew they had to decide on a course of action. "Umm... You're right. My memories might come back. Until they do, maybe we should break u-"

"No." Yamato stated, suddenly raising his face to meet her stare.

Intense blue gazed directly into startled hazel brown, as Mimi felt her heart start to drum loudly and her breath got caught in her throat. 'That look again,' she thought, unable to turn away from the force of his eyes.

Scooting closer to her and placing a messy strand of hair behind her ear, Yamato offered her an earnest smile and continued, "I won't pressure you to do anything that makes you uncomfortable and we can take things slow. But stay with me, Mimi. If you really want to regain your memories from the last six months, let me help you remember. I'm sure if we...live as closely as we can to before, something will trigger a memory."

Although part of her wanted to refuse and run away, she knew that his suggestion wasn't wrong. It did make sense that she would regain her memories quicker if she was in her usual environment.

Also, she had no where else to go.

"Okay," she responded hesitantly and nodded her head in agreement. "I'll stay here and...and hopefully I'll remember everything soon. Until then...about our living arrangements..."

Mimi trailed and her eyes went to their shared bedroom, a light blush spreading across her cheeks. "We can't sleep-"

"I'll sleep in the study room," Yamato cut her off, already knowing what she was about to say. "Don't worry. I won't touch you unless you want me to. I'll give you some distance while we sort this stuff out. But Mimi..."

He moved closer to her on the couch and placed his face only a few inches away from her blushing one. "You're still my girlfriend. I don't want you to run away to meet another man again. I'm not going to just sit back and let you pine over someone else. You're going to take responsibility for driving me crazy and making me fall for you."

With that, he walked away and into their bedroom to get his stuff, leaving Mimi a red-faced mess on the couch.

Although she was in love with a tall and reliable doctor, Yamato had made her temperature rise and her heart beat rapidly from their close proximity.

'Damn his good looks,' she silently cursed.

.

.

.

She had expected it to be more challenging, but Mimi found it surprisingly easy to cohabitate with her blonde roommate. As he had promised, Yamato had been sleeping on a futon in the study room and had moved most of his clothes and essential items over to the second room.

He had not touched her and even though they were dating, he never tried to sneak into her bed at night or attempted any physical affection. Mimi was almost disappointed, though she would never admit it out loud.

She had her pride.

They fell into a comfortable routine over the past couple of weeks. Mimi would cook breakfast, while Yamato handled dinner on most days, and they were both left to their own devices during lunch.

Every weekday they would leave for school together if their class schedules permitted, and Mimi would go to her part-time job in the afternoon, before meeting him again at home in the evening.

If he didn't have too much work to do, sometimes Yamato would meet her at the cafe, which was both pleasant and unsettling for her. Unused to so much attention from the blonde, Mimi often felt conflicted about their relationship and how everyone around them seemed to be completely accepting of the attractive couple.

They had become well-known throughout the school as the Royal Pair; their looks and reputations seemed to complement each other well. No one had been surprised when the university's Madonna started dating the handsome and popular graduate student.

Mimi had joked that the only reason Yamato had gotten a reputation for being cool and mysterious was because he hardly interacted with anyone outside of his inner circle.

The casual acceptance and even encouragement of their relationship by all of their friends and peers made it more difficult for Mimi to keep her distance from Yamato, as her classmates would often ask her why she was not going to visit her boyfriend like she usually did during breaks.

It seemed strange to them that the usually affectionate girl would suddenly stop doting on her boyfriend, and wondered if they had a fight. To Mimi's chagrin, her relationship with Yamato was a hot topic amongst her social network.

People had started asking about the state of their relationship after Mimi unknowingly caused a stir when she referred to him as "Yamato-kun" while he still said her name without an honorific.

She hadn't noticed it at first, but the fact that she had allowed a man (who wasn't related to her) to call her Mimi without an honorific attached was a big deal for the woman who had never had a boyfriend.

Since her memory loss, she didn't feel comfortable speaking to Yamato in the same intimate way that he addressed her, but Mimi wondered what she had called him while they were a happy couple.

She was too embarrassed to ask him, fearing it would be a silly romantic pet name, and she would be unable to look him in the eyes after learning what it was. Mimi hoped it was nothing too intimate.

She awkwardly denied any prying questions and offered the excuse that Yamato was busy with school work and she could just see him at home.

Most of her friends were shocked that an unmarried couple had moved in together, but Mimi had always been more daring and open-minded since her time in America, so her classmates stopped gossiping after awhile.

The two of them had good reputations in their departments and were well liked amongst their peers and professors.

Yamato on his part said nothing about their relationship and chose to keep things very private. As a result, nobody bothered to ask him why his girlfriend had stopped bringing snacks and visiting as often as she had, believing it was none of their business.

The blonde was always very tight-lipped about his personal life, and classmates didn't want to get on his bad side, since he had quite the temper when angered. He was usually cool and composed, but poke at a sore topic and he could speak some harsh words.

In this way, they passed the days quietly, not really moving forward with recovering Mimi's memories, but maintaining the status quo that their lives had become. That in itself that taken all of her energies, since losing six months of memories also meant she had lost six months worth of education and school work.

Mimi had a difficult time catching up in her classes and spent most of her free hours and weekends trying to review what she had already learned. She wasn't about to let her high grades drop too.

Mimi had missed the last Digidestined dinner as a result, and Yamato had also chosen to stay home that night. He had helped her as much as he could, relating the things she had told him about her studies, but couldn't do much since he wasn't a nutrition and communications major.

Instead, he supported her by making sure not to worsen her already agitated state by acting too much like a boyfriend, and gave her enough space to figure things out. It hurt him to be near her and unable to touch her, but he cared about her enough that he didn't want to force his own feelings on her when she couldn't remember him.

.

.

.

"Mimi-chan, it's pretty quiet now. If you want to head home, it's okay with me." Miyako's mother and owner of the cafe said, scanning the few lingering customers who were preparing to leave.

It was 8:30PM and after a long shift, Mimi was ready to head home and relax a bit before hitting the books.

Thanking her boss, she changed out of her uniform and walked out into the cool evening air. It was October and the leaves had turned colors, ushering in a new season and period of transformation.

Mimi's thoughts drifted to the blonde waiting for her at home and she wondered if he had eaten dinner. Before she could take out her cellphone to call and find out if she should bring something home, Mimi noticed a shock of bushy brown hair standing a few yards away from where she was by the cafe doors.

"Tai-kun?" She questioned walking over to the young man who smiled at her with a wide and goofy grin. Why was he standing on the street enduring the night chill and seeming to be waiting for her?

"Hey, Mimi-chan! I was just in the neighborhood and decided to stop by. You didn't come to the last group dinner, so I missed your pretty face!" Taichi's smile only grew when he saw her confused expression turn into one of surprise.

"I only see you every few months nowadays. I guess your boyfriend is keeping you busy." The last line came out a bit forced, but he continued to grin at her.

Taichi often joked with her, but Mimi could tell that he was forcing himself to stay cheerful when the topic of her love life came up. Obviously, he was still not over his crush on her and it had put a greater strain on their friendship.

She let her observations sink in before returning his smile and said "It's nice to see you. I'm sorry I missed the monthly Digidestined dinner. I've been really swamped with school lately and things have gotten a little crazy."

She wasn't lying about that, but the brunette shifted uncomfortably when Taichi raised a skeptical eyebrow at her response. "You never had problems keeping up with school before. Are you sure Yamato-kun isn't distracting you too much? You shouldn't let dating get in the way of your studies."

Mimi suddenly found the ground very interesting, not wanting to lie to her friend and former leader. She had felt bad enough keeping her memory loss from Miyako, but Taichi's warm and concerned chocolate eyes made it difficult for Mimi to keep a straight face while she tried to explain her absence.

"It's not a big deal but... Yamato-kun and I are taking a temporary break."

As soon as she admitted it, Mimi wished she could take it back when she saw the hope flit across Taichi's face. His expression immediately transformed into one of contained excitement and he tried hard to keep his joy at bay when his opportunity was at the expense of his close friend's feelings.

'Sorry, Yamato-kun' he thought to himself, deciding that the universe was giving him a sign.

"Mimi-chan," Taichi began, making her jump slightly from the sudden intensity in his voice. "I've really missed spending time with you like before. Do you have time to hang out this Saturday?"

"I... Um..." She hesitated. Taichi was a good friend and she enjoyed his company, but wasn't sure if it was good to encourage his crush.

However, the way that he gazed at her with such hopeful and expectant eyes made Mimi falter as she replied, "I-I guess I can. But only for a little while."

She instantly regretted her words.

"Great! Let's meet at Odaiba Park. I'm really looking forward to this, Mi-chan!"

Switching to his more intimate nickname for her, Taichi gave Mimi a lingering hug before they parted, and the two old friends were left with conflicting reactions.

'Yes! Yes! Yes! I knew that it wouldn't work out between them.' Taichi mentally rationalized, a noticeable bounce in his step as he headed home.

He had initially stopped by to see if Mimi would grab a casual drink with him, since it was a normal activity for friends to do, but once he found out she was single (kind of) he couldn't help but escalate it into a proper date.

'Finally, it's my chance to make a move. Sorry, Yamato-kun, but I promised myself I wouldn't miss an opportunity if it came.'

Mimi paced in vexation and twirled a piece of her chestnut colored hair in frustration at the recent turn of events.

'I must be out of my mind! What the hell am I going to say to Yamato? What was I thinking agreeing to a date with another man when I live with my boyfriend? What am I going to do now?'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next chapter will be Yamato and Taichi's POVs and how they both came to like Mimi. Probably their relationships with Sora and each other as well. Maybe another couple will be introduced too?


	4. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: So, this chapter is devoted to Taichi and a few side characters. I had planned to include Yamato's POV as well, but decided to split it up so I could include a few more couples.
> 
> .
> 
> '…..' = thoughts
> 
> "..." = speech

Taichi groaned, tossing another rejected outfit onto the growing pile on his bed. He was having a difficult time choosing the right clothes for his upcoming date with Mimi and lamented over the fact that everything he owned seemed too outdated or unfashionable. His crush was a woman who valued a good sense of style and he didn't feel like disappointing her on their first romantic outing together.

But a firefighter-in-training didn't have the income to buy high-end clothing and it wasn't a priority when he came home smelling like soot and feeling exhausted. Still, he was passionate about his job.

Taichi had joked with his friends that he wanted to grow up to be a hero, so it wasn't surprising when the determined young man decided to enter a profession that involved heroic deeds and rescuing people from dangerous situations.

The Digidestined leader was inspired after watching news coverage that described the brave men and women who had saved countless lives during the aftermath of the digital invasion several years back, and admired their heroism during times of crisis. Taichi saw them as the real leaders and super heroes.

At first, Taichi had considered becoming a politician, but chose to pursue a career in firefighting after meeting a college classmate who had been trapped under rubble during a dark digimon attack that had destroyed the building she was in. A young firefighter had saved her life and she never forgot him; extolling his virtues ever since.

Fire was also an element that Taichi was accustomed to dealing with due to his digimon partner Agumon, and he had registered as a trainee after receiving his degree in fire science from Odaiba University.

Taichi's athleticism and physical stamina from years of playing soccer had served him well during the initial training and he quickly realized how suited he was for the role. It was intense, required teamwork, and most importantly, one needed a great deal of courage to do the dangerous work.

An everyday hero.

Taichi was happy with his profession and content with the decisions he had made in life. The only aspect that needed improvement was his love life. Relationships never seemed to last very long and he found it difficult to commit to any of his past girlfriends. They had loved him much more than he had cared for them. Taichi wasn't adverse to commitment, but he never fell in love with any of them.

It was shortly after he enrolled in the National Fire Academy that Taichi began to feel something more for his childhood friend Mimi. It was a crush that was never meant to happen and his feelings had caught him by surprise. The bearer of the Crest of Purity had always been a beautiful girl, with a kind and cheerful personality, but their shared history made him avoid seeing her as a potential romantic partner.

If you asked him why, it would always go back to his failed love connection with Sora. Taichi had already experienced heartache from pining over a fellow Digidestined and didn't feel like repeating his teenage angst. He had let go of his feelings for the red head in high school, but it had been a lengthy and difficult process. Since it was two of his closest friends that were the root of his pain, it took him longer than expected to get over it and forgive himself for running away from the situation.

Taichi was not angry at his friends for falling in love. He was a good person, and truly wished them well when they were together. However, he also hadn't fully gotten over his cowardice and inability to tell his first love his feelings when he had the chance. Taichi was the Digidestined of Courage, but he wasn't brave when he turned a blind eye to the many hints that Sora had longingly thrown at him.

He knew that Sora loved him first, long before she had ever noticed Yamato. But Taichi had been a coward. Too afraid to lose the friendship they had built up over the years, he ignored her feelings, and acted as if they were just best of friends.

Forever.

Taichi thought he could keep Sora with him always if he never reciprocated her romantic affections, not knowing that she would eventually drift away from him. He was afraid to lose the girl that he had grown to need, so Taichi chose to never act on his feelings of love.

When she finally gave up on him, he didn't chase her or confess his endless devotion. Instead, he closed his eyes once again, and pretended that everything was okay. Her friendship was enough.

Agumon told him that he had matured, but Taichi knew better. Deep down, in the darkest corner of his heart, he knew it was all out of fear. Fear of rejection. Fear of heartbreak. Fear of losing the one he treasured the most. Taichi had been terrified that dating and breaking up would mean the end of their cherished friendship, but he never realized how painful it would be to lose her to another man.

The memory of his own cowardice made it hard for Taichi to completely move on from the experience and their friendships had suffered as result. It was unnoticeable by outsiders, but he had distanced himself from Sora and Yamato.

The trio had inevitably become a couple, so Taichi progressively began to spend more time with Koushiro and away from the reminder of his shameful and cowardly behavior.

Even if he was glad that his friends were happy, seeing them together awakened feelings of resentment and bitterness in himself, and the reality that he did not live up to his own expectations. As the bearer of the Crest of Courage, his lack of bravery left a dark mark on Taichi's self-esteem and views on love.

Mimi was the one who had finally helped him put a close on that chapter of his life and understand his feelings in a new light. They had been sharing a meal and talking about mundane matters when the topic of their love lives came up. Mimi didn't say much, but Taichi had a lot to reveal.

Maybe it was because he had drank too much and was feeling more sentimental than usual, but he started to tell her about the past and his feelings about what had happened after that infamous Christmas Eve.

Mimi was a good listener and her compassionate nature made it easy for him to tell her everything, the alcohol fueling his desire to let it all out to someone after guarding the secret in his heart for nearly a decade.

[Flashback]

"I was such a damn coward. I knew she loved me. She gave me so many hints! But I was too afraid to do anything about it. After all of these years, I still feel so ashamed of myself for running away..."

Taichi confessed and slammed his empty mug of beer down on the table, running a hand through his thick, unruly hair. He was a little drunk and feeling emotional, but the woman with him was patient.

"Tai-kun," Mimi said, placing her hand over his shaking one. "I don't think you're a coward. Actually, you're really brave. I always knew the Crest of Courage belonged to you." She let her words sink in.

"None of us expected Sora-chan and Yamato-kun to get together. It was a shock to us all. But your reaction; your feelings; and your regrets. None of them are a sign of cowardice. Tai-kun..." she trailed off, lifting her free hand to cup the side of his cheek in a caring and gentle manner. She empathized with him.

Taichi's could feel his heart begin to thump loudly and his breath hitched in his throat. Mimi's hand felt like a feather caressing his face, and he could see that she cared for him deeply and was being sincere.

"It's very brave to face your vulnerabilities. Knowing yourself and accepting your faults... Tai-kun, you have always been and always will be courageous. It's something about you that will never change."

Taichi placed a hand over hers, and offered Mimi a genuine smile. He felt his heart begin to stir and free itself from the chains it had carried for far too long.

"Did I ever tell you that I adore you, Mi-chan?"

[End Flash]

Mimi helped him see that accepting vulnerability also takes great courage and emotional strength. It was after this moment that Taichi had begun to feel his heart beat quickly whenever he was around the compassionate young woman. A childhood friend had once again become someone that occupied all of his daily thoughts.

Feelings grew over the course of a year, and Taichi would weigh the pros and cons of starting a relationship with Mimi in his head every time he saw her at the monthly Digidestined dinners. It was a similar situation with Sora, where he valued her friendship and didn't want to ruin what they had by dating. But damnit. He wasn't about to make the same mistake twice and was determined to ask her out.

That is, until Mimi and Yamato suddenly declared that they were a couple and floored everyone six months ago. The announcement had come out of nowhere and Taichi was left devastated for the second time.

A mean part of him wondered if it was the blonde's mission to steal every chance at happiness that came Taichi's way if it came in the form of a woman.

Seriously. What was with his friend's repeat actions?

He knew it was unreasonable to think it, but Taichi felt it was absolutely unfair that Yamato had been chosen over him, yet again, for unknown reasons. What was wrong with him? He was handsome, had a good personality, fun, strong, had a good job and could really love someone with all his might.

Why did the two women in his life that he actually felt true feelings of love for choose blonde over brunette? It was unbelievable. The night he found out about them, he had gotten black out drunk and passed out at Daisuke's place, after tipping over a vending machine, and punching a lamp post that appeared eerily similar to his blue eyed friend. When he woke up the next morning, his fist looked like a bloody mess.

Unlike the first time, Taichi did not accept this new couple amongst his friends. He firmly believed that the relationship between Mimi and Yamato would not work out and it was all some sort of failed experiment waiting to implode. He couldn't fathom why or how they had gotten together, but he knew what he had to do.

Taichi wasn't despicable enough to directly steal his friend's girlfriend, so he waited for his chance. He was a patient man and knew that an opportunity would arise eventually; and it did.

Taichi decided that if there was ever an opening, he'd take it, so he wouldn't regret his inaction again. Waiting for the right moment finally paid off when he saw Mimi the night before and he was definitely going to strike while the two were on their "break". Taichi vowed that he would get the girl this time.

"Mi-chan, just wait and see. I'll prove who's the better match for you. His name is Taichi Yagami."

.

.

.

Mimi smiled, watching her two friends lightly banter with each other over a computer program. Miyako was perched over her boyfriend Koushiro's shoulder, peering curiously at the laptop screen. The red head decided to stop by the cafe on his way home from work to surprise her and show off the new algorithm he had created at his company. A fellow computer nerd, the taller woman had been thrilled.

Miyako and Koushiro made a cute couple with their slight height difference and physically dissimilar characteristics. She was the taller one out of the two and her slim figure was a stark contrast to his short and stockier build. They were both computer whizzes and connected on an intellectual level.

Mimi thought they were adorable together, because the younger woman's out-going personality had helped to bring Koushiro out of his headspace and interact with the rest of the world. He couldn't live inside his computer with Miyako around, and she encouraged him to be adventurous and embrace the unknown. Because of his girlfriend, the tech geek made more of an effort to get out and try new things.

They had been dating for two years and were still going strong. Miyako made sure that Koushiro paid attention to people and activities that didn't involve a computer; he ensured that she remained practical and her thoughts grounded in reality when her fantasies got too big. They balanced each other out well.

The Digidestined of Knowledge was currently a program consultant for a data security company in Tokyo. They had a branch office in Odaiba where he was quickly impressing his superiors and on his way to becoming a team leader by the end of the year. Koushiro was a talented programmer and very dedicated to securing Japan's internet from hacker attacks. He was also a tech-oriented creative genius.

Miyako was still studying and attending the same Tech College he had graduated from; majoring in computer science, with a minor in business marketing. Ken Ichijouji had joined her at the prestigious school and was a year below in the computer engineering department. The two young adults were both intelligent and tech savvy in their own right, and discussed the potential for creating a start-up company together.

Koushiro thought it was a feasible goal and encouraged them to develop a business plan with his guidance. If all went well, the red head would become a board member and put up the starting capitol for their venture.

If nothing else, years of working for her parents had developed Miyako's business acumen and insight into what it took to be an entrepreneur. It didn't hurt that her boyfriend was loaded from his tech job too.

She may seem like a silly and hyper-active girl to some, but Miyako Inoue had a sharp nose for money matters, and both Ken and Koushiro trusted her to handle those aspects well. The three of them met regularly to discuss their project and brainstorm possible avenues to advance technological innovation.

.

Mimi wished her friends well, but had absolutely no interest in their professional pursuits. She left Miyako and Koushiro to their own devices and continued to watch the door for incoming customers. It was a slow day, but anything was more interesting to her than listening to technology jargon.

A short while later, another familiar character walked through the door, causing Mimi's face to light up in joy. His short blonde hair glistening under the sunlight, Takeru's lithe and athletic figure strolled into the cafe. He was as tall as Jyou, and had outgrown his older brother in his second year of high school.

The sweet young man held a sentimental place in her heart and Mimi was glad to see him after such a tumultuous two weeks since her memory loss. Takeru had always accepted her for who she was, even when the others had dismissed her as a spoiled cry baby during the early days of their digital adventure.

"Take-kun!" She cooed, ushering him to an open table by the window. The two tech dorks greeted him as well, but soon returned their attention to the computer, leaving Mimi to entertain the bearer of Hope.

"I'm so glad to see you! What brings you here on this lovely Friday afternoon? No practice today?"

"My stomach brings me here. I'm starving, Mimi-chan! Could I have today's special?" He asked, giving her the same deep blue puppy dog eyes that had captured her heart since the first time she had met him.

"Of course. I'll be right back, Take-kun~!" Watching his dear friend head to the back with his order, the blonde young man smiled nostalgically at her retreating form. Mimi had always been special to him. He knew the feeling was mutual and their friendship had remained strong over the years since camp.

Although he had never admitted it to anyone, the Digidestined of Purity had been his first crush when they were just children. He had quickly gotten over it after meeting Hikari, but he fondly remembered the older girl as his first love, albeit in a joking sense. During their first adventure, Mimi was the only one who didn't treat him like a baby, and listened to him sincerely when he had thoughts and opinions.

For a young child, to have an older kid pay attention and value your voice? It had meant a great deal to the young Takeru, and he never forgot the girl's kindness and care for him throughout their journey.

She was also one of the few people who knew about his dark side and still accepted him for who he was. Takeru wasn't evil and didn't have any deep dark secrets, but his experiences in the digital world had left some lasting scars.

One didn't go through the trauma and hardships that their group survived without coming out of it with some painful memories. Takeru had developed a cynical and sarcastic side to his personality after their second adventure as teenagers. The dark ocean had stuck with him.

However, except for the rare occasion when he fell into a temporary depression, most days, Takeru was still the cheerful and hopeful person that he had always been. The only ones who knew about his bouts of melancholy were his older brother, Hikari, Mimi and Ken (who occasionally suffered the same way).

To everyone else, Takeru Takaishi was an all-around good guy, who was an excellent student and popular amongst his peers. A sophomore at Odaiba University, he was the lead scorer on the basketball team and belonged to the literature department. He wanted to be a fiction writer and was writing a book about his many adventures in the Digital World; which would also serve as his final graduation project.

Takeru had decided to pay Mimi an unexpected visit after his ex-girlfriend and still close friend had mentioned that her brother seemed to have private Saturday plans with his brother's girlfriend.

It didn't bode well with the young man and he had decided to speak with Mimi before jumping to conclusions.

.

Smiling fondly as she passed on his order to the chef, Mimi thought about the Digidestined of Hope and her warm feelings for the endearing boy who had become a charming man right before her eyes.

Throughout their shared adventure, Takeru had unknowingly encouraged her to change for the better; made her a stronger and more resilient person. Mimi felt an immediate kinship with the child and she valued his companionship the most in the digital world because he didn't disregard her like the others.

When the older Digidestined had labeled her as a princess and written her off as a burden, Takeru had never stopped treating Mimi with kindness and gave her hope during the darkest of days. For that, she would always cherish his friendship and cared for him deeply; loved him like a real older sister would.

Mimi wasn't the mothering type, but she also had a protective streak concerning the younger chosen children, in addition to her old digimon partner, Palmon. She was particularly devoted to Takeru and Hikari, and not so secretly rooted for them to be together. Confidentially, she was a little jealous of the destined sort of love that the two youngsters seemed to share and vocally supported their relationship.

During a late night dinner a few years back, Mimi had once directly asked Takeru if he didn't agree with her predication that "Takari" was meant to happen. She wondered out loud why they were not still dating.

The bearers of Hope and Light had dated happily for a year and half during their second and third year of middle school, but broke up before they entered high school. Everyone had been shocked by their breakup and couldn't understand why such a perfect couple would suddenly decide to split up.

It had been an amicable decision and the two remained close friends throughout the transition. It almost seemed like nothing had changed between the two teens. The rest of the Digidestined had been nothing less than dumbfounded, but neither of the two ever explained the reason why they had decided to remain platonic.

Takeru and Hikari continued to be best friends and even supported one another when they dated other people, going as far as to give each other advice and lend a sympathetic ear when things didn't go well. No one could understand their relationship, so eventually the other Digidestined stopped their guessing.

Although their older brothers only wanted their siblings to be happy, since there wasn't anyone to really blame for the break up, there was nothing either of them could do about it. Both had been disappointed that "Takari" didn't last because all of the boyfriends and girlfriends that came afterward did not meet their exceptionally high standards.

Taichi and Yamato secretly agreed that their siblings belonged together.

Even after the others stopped asking, Mimi persisted in her insistence that destiny was something that could not be changed. Takeru would usually give her a silly grin before changing the subject to talk about something other than his love life.

However, one evening the blonde boy finally explained his thoughts and the reasoning behind why Takeru and Hikari had broken up so early in their relationship.

[Flashback]

"We broke up because we both knew that we'd eventually find each other again."

Taking a bite of his sushi, Takeru smiled widely when he saw the perplexed expression on his friend's face. It was obvious that she didn't understand why "Takari" had split if they planned to get together again in the future. Of course, most people would be puzzled, so he decided to enlighten his dear Mimi.

"Hikari and I know that we're endgame. We've known since age eleven that someday, we'd become more than just childhood friends. I guess you could say it was written in the stars and all that sappy stuff," he joked, grabbing a plate of broiled eel from the sushi conveyor belt and taking a sip of tea.

"When we started dating at fourteen, we were still too young to commit to our forever. She and I talked about it a lot. We were happy and things were great, but we just weren't ready to settle down with our one and only in middle school. We wanted to grow as individuals before we became a pair and both of us wanted to gain as many new experiences as possible so we'd be even more amazing adults."

Mimi had listened quietly, amazed by the depth of wisdom and maturity in the young man's words. He had always been a thoughtful boy, but Takeru was proving to be an exceptional young man who knew there was no rush when it came to love. He had found his soulmate, but the two needed time to live their separate lives, and experience the ups and downs of growing up, before joining as one.

"When we're ready, and we no longer need to be apart, that's when Hikari and I will be together. Our love has no deadline, so there's no need to rush into things. But I'm always going to love her. Hikari knows it too. Even if she's dating some other guy right now, I know she's in love with me."

[End Flash]

The certainty in his voice and clear dedication to the bearer of Light had taken Mimi's breath away, and she recalled the memorable conversation as she walked to the front and toward Takeru's table.

"Okay, today's special is on its way! Anything else I can get you Take-kun?" she asked sweetly, and the Digidestined of Hope felt somewhat apologetic about questioning her commitment to his brother.

However, even if he loved Mimi like a sister, his real family members would always come first. After hearing about her suspicious plans with Taichi, the younger blonde wanted to look out for his older brother.

As much as Yamato tried to protect his sibling from all of the bad things in the world, Takeru also looked out for his brother, whether he was aware of it or not. They always had each other's backs.

Always.

"Mimi-chan," Takeru began, his eyes scanning the lovely woman who continued to smile pleasantly at him. "I heard from Hikari that you're hanging out with Taichi-kun this weekend. It's not a date, right?"

Suddenly her smile was gone and her expression changed to one of shock. "O-Of course, not! Take-kun, why are you saying nonsense? Hahaha," Mimi started to laugh awkwardly, avoiding his perceptive gaze. It was deep and penetrating, just like a familiar man who was waiting for her at home.

"Hikari-chan must be mistaken. I'm meeting with Tai-kun as casual friends. It's definitely not a date!" She explained, too insistently for Takeru's liking, but he decided not to press his friend.

Yet.

Even if she seemed like she was hiding something, he decided to trust Mimi. She had never let him down in the past, and Takeru hoped that he would never have a reason to doubt her in the future.

"I see. Well, I guess she was mistaken. Hmm. I'm sooo hungry! I hope the food comes out soon."

"Let me check on your order," Mimi hurriedly responded and rushed to the back, leaving the blonde young man with a frown on his face and a sinking feeling in his stomach. He wasn't hungry anymore.

The ominous sense of foreboding didn't leave Takeru that day and he worried about his loved ones.

'Big brother, I really hope this feeling I have is wrong. Please, please let it be wrong for once...'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes:
> 
> Fire Science: Is a degree that many firefighters are required to get if they want to advance their careers.
> 
> Miyako: I always thought that she was pretty smart and her family taught her to have good work ethic. I imagined Miyako would grow up to be in tech or a business woman. Being a housewife is respectable too, but I just expected another life for her. In this story, she's more career-oriented.
> 
> Kouyako: It's hinted that Miyako briefly fancied Koushiro in Season 02, and they seemed like one of those cute opposites attract couples, but with a lot more in common than koumi. At least Miyako likes computers, and seemed interested in Koushiro's work, while Mimi never really showed any interest in it.
> 
> Height: I like how Miyako is tall and lanky, so the image of a taller woman with a shorter and stockier man looked cute in my head. I imagine that even as adults, Miyako is still the taller of the two techies.
> 
> Takeru: I definitely think he has a dark side. Other stories like to make him a brat or give him a cheeky personality. I see him as an extroverted and cheerful guy, but when things get hard for him, the darker and more pessimistic side of his personality comes out. He is Yamato's brother after all.


	5. Chapter Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is SOLELY devoted to Yamato, so all you Ishida fans will enjoy it (I hope). It's an exploration of his relationship with Mimi and thoughts on past loves, etc.
> 
> .
> 
> '…..' = thoughts
> 
> "..." = speech

Yamato shuddered, a cold breeze sending a chill down his spine. Even though the season had changed from summer to autumn, he was hesitant to let go of the past several months and switch to warmer clothing. He thought his reluctance may be in part due to the troubles he was having with his girlfriend.

Although he had feigned nonchalance and kept up a calm facade, the truth was that the last couple of weeks had been emotionally brutal for him. Yamato walked on eggshells when at home with his girlfriend, and constantly questioned whether he was making the right decision to give her space or if he should be more proactive about helping Mimi recover her memories.

Even as a psychology student, Yamato was not sure how to approach the subject of their relationship and had let her set the pace for the time being.

Walking across his university campus, the blonde thought about the last six months and the significant events that had happened during the spring and summer of his 23rd year.

The biggest and ultimately happiest change in his life had been the blossoming relationship with his childhood friend and fellow Digidestined, Mimi Tachikawa.

It was an unexpected turn of events that flipped his world upside down.

In the beginning, he hadn't paid much attention to the cheerful woman and always assumed that they didn't have enough in common to become more than just peripheral friends.

Friends by association.

In truth, he had never tried to get to know her, and accepted her at face value as the spoiled and childish little girl she had been during their first adventure. Yamato never expected her to grow out of that self-centered phase and continued to call her Princess even though he was the only one who still did.

He didn't realize that Mimi had outgrown her selfishness to become an emotionally strong, resilient, and confident woman who could take care of herself. He never tried to understand her, so how could he know?

Yamato had been too busy protecting (some might say smothering) his little brother and battling with his own inner demons. He had no intention of taking care of another child, and wrote Mimi off quickly when she acted more like Takeru's age, and appeared to need someone to depend on.

He didn't want to be that person, so he was cold and ignored the girl, even when she made an effort to hang around him.

Eventually, she got the hint that he wouldn't be her protector and stopped trying to get on his good side. Instead, she focused on her friendships with the other Digidestined and their relationship had stopped being a priority for the both of them.

The two children were so wrapped up in themselves, and the hardships they endured, that they never made an effort to know each other past their initial impressions.

Mimi had pointed this out to him one late evening in a bar, while reminiscing about the Digital World.

[Flashback]

"I wanted to be your friend so badly back then." The brunette confessed, smiling fondly at the drink in her hand. Mimi swirled the ice in circular motions and the brandy swished around gently in the glass.

[Flash End]

He had expected her to order something sweet or fruity, which she admitted to liking as well, but the friend that he thought he knew surprised him by ordering a drink he never imagined she would enjoy.

After helping Mimi in the park the week before, Yamato's life had become nothing less than bizarre.

When she first showed up at his academic department with food that she had prepared herself, he was polite and accepted the gift, assuming it was a one time deal for helping her out over the weekend.

He hadn't questioned her when she woke up in a daze after passing out drunk in the park, and thought that her declaration of finding a new Prince Charming was just from the alcohol not having left her system.

After Mimi went home, he had believed the whole incident to be over, and was relieved to be rid of the drunk woman and back to his drama-free life.

So it shocked Yamato when she continued to bring him food and snacks every day for a week, and even started hanging out in his student office during her breaks. Mimi persistently asked Yamato to spend time with her off campus, which had made him uneasy.

At first he thought it was annoying and wanted her to stop pestering him when he had a lot to get done. Graduate school had left Yamato with little time to goof off and Mimi's sudden presence in his life was hard to ignore.

However, her food had been unexpectedly delicious, and Yamato unwittingly started to look forward to her dishes and stopped buying meals in the student dining hall.

Because of a memory he had of them as children when she told the group that she loved strange combinations, like strawberries and eggs cooked together, he had assumed her food would probably taste like poison. But it was so good that he polished off the entire bento, which elated Mimi and she teased him about doubting her cooking skills.

After all, she wanted to become a nutritionist and she explained how she aimed for her meals to be both delicious and healthy. Mimi told him about what ingredients she had used and how she wanted to feed him food that would give him more energy and focus for his studies.

Yamato had been touched and continued to accept her offerings, since at the time, he could think of no reason to turn her away. Yes, it was bothersome at times, but the tasty food had kept his mouth shut and soon her company became the brightest point of his day.

Instead of talking about shopping or frivolous gossip, Mimi would tell him about her own studies and ambitions for after graduation. She also asked many questions about his psychology research and seemed genuinely interested in fully getting to know him.

He found it easy to talk to Mimi and they often fell into amicable discussion about various topics, the blonde feeling completely comfortable around his old friend. Usually it took him awhile to warm up to people, but Mimi was a familiar face that he had already come to trust.

Getting to know her as an adult was a welcome surprise, and he found himself intrigued and attracted to the kind and confident woman.

He had unintentionally began to seek out her company and looked forward to her daily visits. So after a week of turning her down whenever she asked him to hang out after school, he finally agreed to grab a friendly drink with Mimi after her Friday evening shift at the cafe.

Yamato made the decision to show up at the last minute and she seemed startled to find him waiting for her outside her workplace. Her confusion transformed into happiness when he asked her to get a drink and she jubilantly led him to a classy speakeasy in the neighborhood.

[Flashback]

Seated at the bar, they ordered their drinks and contently sat sipping for the first several minutes. Mimi was overjoyed that he seemed to finally be opening up to her, and Yamato questioned his motives for inviting her out.

He was glad that they were becoming better friends, but was it really just that reason?

It was then that he noticed Mimi's drink of choice and they started to talk about first impressions and what happened to them during their first digital adventure. Hearing the woman confess that she had been hurt when he rejected her attention, Yamato felt guilty about the way he had treated her when they were children.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to leave a permanent scar. I had a lot going on at the time. And we were so different." He explained, unsure of how to improve the mood. "I mean, you and I hardly spoke back then."

"I know." Mimi continued to stare at her drink and smiled. Taking a long swig from her glass, she polished off the remaining liquid.

Turning to Yamato, she pointed a long manicured finger at his chest and jokingly accused, "You never gave me a chance. Tai-kun and you, both, only cared about Sora-chan and what she had to contribute to the group. You never noticed that I grew up along the way too. I may be searching for my Prince Charming, but I'm not some damsel in distress that needs to be rescued. Not anymore. I wish you had seen me a long time ago. Really seen all of me."

Even though she spoke the truth, it was obvious that Mimi was faking her upset tone and the smile never left her lips. However, Yamato was truly struck by her words and let them sink in and weigh heavily on him.

She was right in that he never really paid much attention to her, always distracted by the others. Whether it was Takeru, Taichi, Sora, or Jyou, he had always focused on friends that weren't her.

It wasn't all his fault. Their adventures had led them on diverging paths, and both children had grown close to everyone on their team except each other.

Unlike Mimi, he never thought about it unless someone else poked at his memories. Takeru had once before, and now she was reminding him as well.

Their relationship had entered a state of arrested development since the first moment they had met one another and put their worst selves forward.

A childish and spoiled brat, against a cold and indifferent boy with a chip on his shoulder. It was a high wall for two kids to overcome and form a true friendship.

"I see you now." He replied, but knew it didn't repair the past. "I wish I had noticed you a lot sooner."

"Took you long enough," she joked, ordering another drink. This time Mimi got a refreshing mojito and watched him finish his beer with a wide grin. "I'm glad you finally decided to come out with me. You probably didn't know, but I had a bit of a crush on you when we first arrived at camp. I liked how you were so protective of Take-kun. If you were mine, I thought you might look at me the same way."

Mimi sipped her drink distractedly, a contemplative expression on her face as she licked the fresh lime flavor from her rosy lips. She absently tapped the stone counter and her light pink nails stood out in the dim lighting of the bar. Yamato's eyes were drawn to the color and he watched her trace a heart shape.

"I got over it pretty quick when I learned that the cute blonde had a gruff personality, but I remember wanting to be someone that you cared for with the same ferocity as your brother. I know it was self-centered, and I was still a selfish princess back then. I don't blame you for writing me off, but a small part of me felt cheated when you didn't notice that I had changed too. I guess better late than never."

Mimi finished her mojito and licked her lips again, the shine of her gloss glistening against the minimal lighting above the bar. He didn't know what prompted him, but Yamato felt the sudden urge to kiss her and shocked them both when he did just that.

Leaning toward the woman beside him, he closed his eyes, and planted a soft and brief kiss on her mouth; he could taste the lime and mint from her mojito.

Her eyes had remained open and Mimi gaped at him in shock, her hands coming up to touch her lips. She was amazed by what had just occurred and felt her heart thump loudly in her chest.

'That was my first kiss...' she thought, mind going blank as her hazel eyes widened from the realization.

Feeling flustered, Yamato mentally struggled with his emotions and wondered what had compelled him to do something so random. Mimi had looked so lovely under the lighting and their recent bonding had messed with his emotions. He had felt the urgent desire to connect with her, resulting in the abrupt kiss.

Running a nervous hand through his golden locks, Yamato panicked, worried that he had ruined all of the progress the two Digidestined had made strengthening their delicate friendship over the past week.

"Mimi-chan, I'm so sorr-" He was cut off when the woman in question lifted a delicate finger and placed it over his mouth. Instead of being upset, Mimi looked thoughtful and had a mischievous glint in her eyes. Resting her chin against the back of her hand, she tilted her small face to look straight at him.

"That was my first kiss. You need to take responsibility for claiming it," she declared, reaching out to touch his hand with her free one. Yamato stared at her with a incredulous expression, thinking she was messing with him. There was no way such a beautiful and popular woman had never been kissed.

He remembered her drunken outburst about being a virgin, but that was something at a completely different level and Yamato couldn't believe she was being serious with him. "No need to tease me, Mimi-chan."

"Who said I'm joking?" She questioned, her voice both impish and sincere. "I wasn't expecting you to kiss me, but I didn't dislike it. Maybe this is a sign from the universe... How about it, Yamato-kun? Why not give us a chance?"

He didn't understand what she meant and removed his hand from her hold. "I'm sorry that I kissed you out of nowhere. I'm not sure what came over me. I know we're getting closer, but don't play with me."

"Like I said, who's playing?" With that, Mimi moved forward and placed her lips against the startled blonde's mouth. Pulling him closer by his shirt lapels, she felt him gasp and his body stiffen.

Caught off guard, Yamato could only stare at the woman who was kissing him, his movements tense and ridged from the shock. A few moments later, he closed his eyes and relaxed, letting his mouth react and deepen the kiss. Mimi didn't pull away, and they both got lost in the moment.

When it was over, Mimi smirked at the stunned blonde, and returned to her original easygoing pace. "It seems like you didn't mind it either. So how about it? Want to start dating, Yama-kun?"

Ignoring the new nickname she had given him, Yamato felt confused and overwhelmed by what had just happened between the two long-time friends.

"I need to go," he declared, standing up and rushing out of the bar without giving a proper response.

Remaining where he left her, Mimi frowned at his retreating form and ordered another strong drink.

[End Flash]

Yamato recalled how bewildered and dazed he had been the following Saturday. He had been very thankful it was the weekend because he would never have gotten any work done in his shaken state.

He had no idea how to respond to Mimi's sudden proposition and fled like a coward. In hindsight, maybe the reason he ran away was because he didn't feel like being her rebound after Jyou's rejection.

The blonde thought about his past relationships. Sora was the first person he thought of, even though she was not his most recent girlfriend. But she had been his first love and the only woman he had ever seriously cared for over a long period of time.

Even though it did not work out between them, she still carried a very special place in his heart as the first of everything. Every woman he had been with since Sora had been eerily similar to the red head, maybe not in appearance, but in personality and character.

Takeru was the one who had pointed out this trend to his older brother, and blamed it on their parent's influence. Yamato had initially scoffed at this explanation, but as a psychology major, the observation began to gnaw at the back of his mind.

Over the last several months, after he split up with his most recent girlfriend, Yamato spent a substantial amount of time reflecting and analyzing his past relationships from a more clinical perspective, trying to disprove his brother's theories about his tendencies when choosing lovers.

Takeru compared Sora and all of the other women to their mother, Natsuko. He believed that his older brother preferred women who reminded him of their mother, and out of all of the Digidestined, the bearer of the Crest of Love had been the most motherly and caring out of the group.

Since Yamato had grown up missing the love and care of his mother, he subconsciously sought it out in his relationships.

The older of the siblings had laughed it off and ignored the boy's pseudo-psychological reasoning.

However, Sora did resemble his mother Natsuko in many ways; they were both mature and nurturing, and wanted to take care of their loved ones almost to the point of suffocation.

They were over-protectors.

Yamato had also inherited these traits to a lesser degree, especially when it came to his little brother and close friends.

He often wondered if their dual nurturing personalities were the reason why sorato hadn't worked out, even though they loved each other.

As his parents had proved, sometimes love just isn't enough.

It was this rebellious part of himself that had prompted Yamato to call Mimi later that evening and reply, "Okay. Let's date." He wanted to prove Takeru and his own misgivings that they were wrong.

Going out with Mimi would be the proof he needed to convince himself that he wasn't still affected by his mother's abandonment, and he was definitely not seeking out women that reminded him of what a good mother should be.

Yamato figured it didn't matter if he was her rebound. In his mind, it wasn't as if their relationship would last, and at least they could help each other to overcome their personal issues.

"Okay," Mimi had replied over the phone and asked him to meet her for a date the following day.

Agreeing to go on their first date, Yamato had hung up and wondered what he had gotten himself into.

.

Several months passed by since they started dating. Yamato had never anticipated how rewarding and comfortable it would be spending increasingly more time with his childhood friend. The couple took it slow and limited physical intimacy to kisses, and light touches here and there while cuddling.

Their interactions and companionship was notably different than any other relationship he had ever been in. Yamato had assumed that he'd be forced to do unpleasant activities while dating Mimi, like frequently shopping or made to watch sappy romantic movies. However, he enjoyed all of the time that they spent together, and he realized how much he had underestimated the captivating woman.

They spent most of their shared time doing mutually pleasant activities and made an effort to see each other regularly. Both of them were quite busy, and free time was precious, so it really meant something for the two to schedule opportunities to chat on the phone or physically see each other on a daily basis.

The first difference Yamato noticed about dating Mimi involved their electronic communications. While Sora had sent numerous texts asking him about his day, including minute details such as what he had eaten, and who he had met, his current girlfriend didn't seem to mind all of the small stuff.

Mimi's messages offered updates about her own activities and kept Yamato informed about her life. Sometimes they included minor updates like what she planned to do that day, while other texts might describe something interesting she had learned in class.

The brunette often sent him observations and thoughts about random things and didn't expect him to respond. She just wanted to share a part of her day with him and didn't need him to reciprocate.

Through her messages, he learned more about Mimi.

In comparison, Sora would get annoyed or upset if Yamato didn't respond in a timely manner, and would resort to calling him to find out if he was ignoring her.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Mimi was always surrounded by distractions, and she had numerous friends to keep her occupied, in addition to double majoring and working a part-time job.

She was so busy, Yamato was surprised by her regular texts.

In a way, it was Mimi's way of showing that she cared about him. As active as she was, she wanted him to know that she hadn't forgotten Yamato and wished that he could be with her.

He had never meant to dismiss any of his past girlfriend's messages, but the blonde would often become pre-occupied and didn't prioritize texts during the weekday. Mimi was one of the few people busy enough to appreciate this.

But, at the end of every long day, Mimi always made a point of sending a 'Good night. Sweet dreams!' text.

Even if it arrived late, the message was always delivered before midnight. Seeing the words every single night, he slowly began to realize that the Digidestined of Purity truly cared about him and wanted Yamato to know that she was thinking of him.

After awhile, he began to send her short updates throughout the day too.

.

Music was another activity that they had in common, but never pursued together. Everyone forgot that Mimi was actually a lovely singer. Only Jyou and Taichi experienced her brilliant singing voice.

Yamato could remember the shrill sound of her singing when she tried to belt out a song while they were traveling in a narrow sewer. The small space had made her louder and her voice had echoed unpleasantly off the walls. Because of that incident, the other Digidestined believed she could not sing.

It had been a pleasant surprise when Mimi started singing a long to a Teenage Wolves' song and her voice had been a charming falsetto. She admitted to being a fan and had memorized a couple of his songs for karaoke.

Although she wasn't in a band, Mimi had continued to develop her musical talents in the choir club during middle and high school. Of course, Yamato had not paid enough attention to know this.

The two spent many pleasant weekends lounging on the couch, enjoying the music and each other's company. When they weren't singing, Yamato would often strum a random melody on his guitar and Mimi would lean against his shoulder and hum, or sometimes she fell asleep in the cozy atmosphere.

Watching his beautiful girlfriend nap, illuminated by the sunlight, Yamato would occasionally think of his ex, Sora, and how she had done the same thing back when they had dated in their youth.

It was one of the positive memories he had of their tumultuous relationship, and he could almost forget about the bad stuff when he recalled how much the red head had cherished those quiet afternoons together; in love.

However, it was only when they were together that Sora was at peace and their relationship seemed effortless. The problems arose when they were apart and they were unable to overcome those obstacles. When they were together, she was secure in their feelings for each other and everything seemed good.

Suddenly, there would be a worried call in the middle of the night because he had not responded to any of her texts. She would show up unexpectedly during band practice or at his home on the weekends. She always asked questions about what he was doing and where he was going.

Why couldn't she come too? Why was he so busy lately? Why didn't he need her help? Why didn't he let her make him better?

Yamato and Sora had always gotten along well and had similar characteristics. That may have been what initially drew them together, but eventually led them to end their long 4.5 year relationship.

They had been young and thought that love was enough. It was the naivety of this belief that had kept them hanging on for so long, even when they were fighting more than laughing when together.

The holders of the Crest of Love and the Crest of Friendship were both protectors that cared deeply for their loved ones. Their feelings could be so intense that the need to take care of others could at times become the need to control; to ensure their friends would not get hurt or experience hardship.

Both had the tendency to smother and overprotect the ones they loved, which became a challenge when these emotions became directed at each other.

Sora had admired the solitary boy's strength and ability to place his brother before himself. She respected him, and in time, her affection grew into feelings of love.

Yamato had been surprised when the red head confessed to him on that memorable Christmas Eve. He hadn't been emotionally prepared and almost turned her down. After all, he had always assumed that she was in love with Taichi and never doubted the compatibility of his two closest friends.

However, Yamato had also been flattered and decided to act on the tenderness that he felt towards her since childhood. They became an unexpected couple on that fateful night and the rest is history.

Things had been wonderful in junior high and they successfully transitioned from friends into lovers. Sora had been his first everything.

They trusted each other more than anyone else, and Yamato learned a lot from his relationship with Sora, especially regarding his own personality and what he expected from a romantic partner.

Yet, all of the good times couldn't erase the difficulties they endured because of one another, and all of the heartache they experienced as a result of their too similar personalities.

Sora wanted to take care of him, but Yamato didn't need to be taken care of. Because they both possessed such intensely protective and loving personalities, this reality eventually became the catalyst that drove a wedge between them.

Yamato was an independent man who was more comfortable taking care of others, and didn't respond well to being coddled.

Maybe it really was because his mother had left at an early age, and he grew up picking up after his father and little brother, essentially filling the space where his mother should have been.

The level of care and vulnerability that he was willing to share with Sora was not nearly enough for the emotional and nurturing girl. His independence and self-sufficiency had exacerbated her insecurities and poked at her internalized desire to be the only one he needed.

The problem was he loved Sora, but didn't need her.

Maybe they weren't done growing up, but for Sora, what he could give wasn't enough.

The older he got and matured, Yamato realized that he wasn't the same insecure and damaged boy that he had been in the Digital World. He didn't need a mother to take care of him.

He was becoming a resilient young man, and the motherly tendencies that he had once found so attractive in his youth had become suffocating.

Yamato knew that this incompatibility would eventually lead to their mutual heartbreak, but he continued to hope things would work out on their own because he had loved her.

They were both caring individuals that had a lot to offer the right person. Sora and Yamato had grown up with each other, and their love had helped both of them become better people and wiser adults. In the end, they amicably decided to end their relationship in senior year of high school.

It had hurt like hell.

.

In his current relationship, cooking together was an activity that uniquely belonged to Mimi and Yamato. As a nutrition major, she taught him how to prepare meals that didn't come from a box and encouraged him to eat healthier choices that would improve his energy levels and overall well-being.

The blonde knew how to cook, but he normally prepared instant foods like simple packaged curry or fried tempura dishes. Growing up, it had just been his father and him, so Yamato was the one responsible for all of the household duties.

As a result, he knew his way around the kitchen and was used to cleaning up around the home. Mimi had looked forward to her visits to his apartment because it was always so clean and tidy.

When he first cooked for her, she had been impressed with his independence and ability to take care of himself. After several dinners that consisted of unhealthy and fatty ingredients, she took it upon herself to teach him how to prepare proper meals.

Mimi enjoyed cooking and was happy when Yamato seemed keen to learn about nutrition and improve his culinary skills. Most people wanted to eat Mimi's food, but didn't put in the effort to learn her favorite dishes and cook a homemade meal for her in return.

The warmth and satisfaction he felt in his relationship with Mimi had been a complete surprise.

Yamato found himself becoming increasingly attached to her and his affection for the young woman grew with every happy memory they created together.

It was the kind of relationship that he never had with a woman, and he didn't know what he was missing until Mimi had prompted him to take a chance.

Mimi wasn't Sora, or his mother. She didn't rely on him for emotional affirmation, but made room for him in her life by choice. The beautiful brunette had her own ambitions and didn't need any rescuing, but appreciated the care and warm feelings that being with him provided.

They were both very different people, with independent lives outside of their relationship, and didn't need one another to live well.

However, being together made their lives better, and both Mimi and Yamato could feel their mutual affection begin to grow into something stronger over time. It wasn't love, but they were slowly collecting more happy memories together.

Yamato could feel himself begin to fall hard for Mimi and was starting to see a real future with her, which is why he agreed to move in together, even though it was out of the norm for Japanese couples.

Instead of letting things just happen, Yamato decided to make an intentional effort for their relationship to last and become stronger; the kind of love that can endure all challenges.

Love doesn't happen overnight and Yamato was ready to take the plunge with Mimi.

If only fate hadn't stolen the opportunity away before the two Digidestined could welcome the new adventure of falling in love.

.

Arriving home, Yamato checked the time and wondered if he should start preparing dinner.

The night before, Mimi had come home looking troubled and had locked herself in her room with only a quick goodnight to the blonde who had been waiting for her to get home from work.

He didn't ask any questions because she had appeared so distressed and Yamato only hoped that she would eventually open up to him.

"Mimi, I miss you." Yamato said a loud in the empty apartment and gazed sadly at the wilting lilies on the coffee table.

He walked over to the flowers and hesitated before throwing them out.

"Their times up."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Yamato's chapter and POV took so long to finish writing! He's experiencing a lot of heartache right now, but doesn't know what to do about it. I feel for him as the one who was forgotten. :(
> 
> For those of you who are team Michi or Jyoumi, your time will come in future chapters. I decided to devote this entire chapter to Yamato because I needed to cover how he began to care for Mimi.
> 
> Since they didn't have much of a relationship before, I tried to develop Yamato's feelings in a realistic way.
> 
> I also threw in some of my personal opinions about why I thought sorato would never work out and why I thought mimato was possible, even if they had different personalities. Opposites can attract too! They have things in common, even if it didn't seem like it in the beginning. They both matured.
> 
> Even if he isn't endgame (it's possible, but I'm still undecided), Yamato has played a huge part in Mimi's life over the past six (forgotten) months and their relationship progress and history needed to be covered before I can write future chapters.
> 
> Both past and current POVs need to be explained before I can develop the characters based on their present circumstances. Now that the story and character POVs are mostly set up, I can delve into new relationships and character development.
> 
> The last past-focused part I need to write is Mimi's POV, so the next chapter will cover her thoughts through flashbacks and also include her date with Taichi.

**Author's Note:**

> April: The Japanese school year usually starts in April and ends in March of next year. The story begins around the last week of April, the beginning of Mimi's senior year of undergraduate school.
> 
> English text: Many Asian universities require students to read English textbooks for certain majors.
> 
> Mimi's major: In the Japanese version of the show Mimi grew up to be a TV host and nutritionist.
> 
> Meat: Grilled meat in Japan is really expensive, so students rarely get to eat such a treat.
> 
> Madonna: Is often used to describe a really popular and beautiful woman/idol on campus.
> 
> 5 years ago: The reference of their last adventure was to acknowledge TRI's time frame. This story is canon up until parts of TRI but will disregard the TV epilogue. The epilogue was shit, anyway.
> 
> Crest of Purity: It was purity in the Japanese version, not sincerity. By purity, I think they meant innocence.
> 
> Drinks: The drinking age in Japan is 20 years old. In this story, all of the Digidestined can legally drink in Japan except for Iori who just drinks tea/water.


End file.
